Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/349

 his allies ran into the woods like so many frightened turkeys.

"I'm onto your little game," said the squatter in a triumphant tone, as he looked out from behind the tree that sheltered him. "You don't fire no more taters at me if I know it. Your boat is here, an' if you want it wusser'n we do, come an' get it. 'Tain't much account nohow."

"I'm going to bust it into a million pieces to pay you fur that there whack you gin me with pap's paddle a while ago," shouted the invisible Jake, who would not show so much as the top of his cap to the boys in the skiff. "I've stood jest about all the poundin' I'm goin' to."

"What did you do to him, Joe?" inquired Arthur, as he and Roy turned the skiff around and pulled back toward their anchorage.

"Matt threw his paddle at me when he saw that I was about to slip through his fingers, and I threw it back," answered Joe. "It didn't hit Matt, as I meant it should, but it came pretty near knocking Jake out of the scow."