Page:Barbour--For the freedom from the seas.djvu/217

 "It is not. I'm wishin' it was. There's two more down below."

"Let Mike carry them, then. I'm through."

"Is that so? You'll take your end, just the same, my lad." The speaker sounded authoritative. "Come on now and get it through."

They turned back along the path and low voices and footsteps dwindled to silence. For a minute only the occasional drip of the moisture from the wagon broke the stillness. Then one of the horses pawed impatiently at the ground and Martin sprang to action.

"Come on!" he whispered. "Here's where we take a drive!"

"What are you going to do?" asked Nelson hoarsely.

"Put your foot on the hub and climb in. Whoa, boys! Easy now! Are you in?"

"Yes, but"

"We're off! Get ap, Jehosophat!" The wagon creaked, Nelson collided with something extremely hard behind him and they went lurching off through the darkness.