Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/113

 “By jing! they’ve jumped him!” cried Abner, rising to his feet.

“Let us run to the rescue,” said Stanley, his teeth chattering even as he was willing to advance.

“Ye two keep quiet and stay here. If they nailed him Charlie don’t need any help. If they missed him he’ll take care of hisself.”

“They missed him,” murmured Bub. “Someone fired at him and he returned the compliment.”

As he finished Charlie stood with them again, coming as silently as he had gone.

“Big Nick,” he quietly informed. “Come to kill canoe, stop trip. I fool him. He shoot. I shoot. He gone.”

“Was he alone?” queried Abner anxiously.

“Alone here. Friends near,” replied Charlie. “Big canoe. Friends bring him most here. Come rest alone. Go now to find friends. Bad place to have boys. Go to sleep now.” And calmly returning to his blanket he quickly fell asleep. Abner followed his example, but Bub and Stanley remained awake for more than an hour, conversing in quivering whispers.

“There’s going to be trouble,” declared Stanley for the twentieth time.