Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/213

 away from him if not for drawing away from Hood mountain. When morning breaks, as it will very soon, I want to be within reach of it. On the other hand, if we go straight ahead we stand a chance of his catching up with us.”

“I say go ahead,” whispered Bub.

“My vote is the same,” added Stanley.

“All right,” murmured Abner. “Ye have a say in it as much as I do. As there ain’t any best way it’s toss up a cent which is the best thing to do.”

“If worst comes to worst we could start a back fire and burn him out,” suggested Stanley.

“The very thing,” urged Bub, eagerly. “Once we put a wall of flame and smoke between us he will be so busy saving his own bacon that he won’t think of chasing us. Couldn’t it be done, Abner?”

“It might, if he didn’t shoot while we was starting it,” admitted Abner; “but these ain’t my trees to burn.”

“Surely you’d burn them to save our lives,” softly exclaimed Stanley.

“I’d burn every one in Maine to save the lives of ye two,” assured Abner. “But I wouldn’t burn ’em to save my own skin. I ain’t got no right to.”