Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/362

 them fellers till their own mammies won't know 'em when they go hum. Human natur!" he ejaculated a moment later, as the tall form of the guide came between him and the smoldering fire. "Who's that? If it ain't Swan, I'm a Dutchman."

"Come on, you miserable scoundrel," cried the guide, shaking his huge fist at the astonished and thoroughly frightened robber. "I have been looking for you, and now that I have, found you, I am going to take you back to Indian Lake with me."

But Matt and his boys were not as anxious to go ashore now as they had been. Without saying a word in reply they bent to their paddles, and made all haste to get out of sight in the darkness.

"Now, Joe," said Mr. Swan, who never got excited even under the most trying circumstances, "shove off and take after them. You can go faster than they can, so if you will get ahead of them and keep them from reaching the opposite shore, I will come up on this side, and we will have them bet ween two fires."

Joe and his companions were prompt to act