Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/230

 he made one last attempt to reap his vengeance. Instantly Bub’s rifle spit out a round of shots, coming so rapidly that the first explosion seemed to blend with the last. At the same moment Abner exhausted his magazine with similar rapidity, and there was no further response from the common target.

Only pausing to reload Abner and Bub advanced to intercept Stanley. When the latter broke through the last barrier and beheld them, a smile spread over his distorted features and he crumpled up over a fallen tree trunk.

“Loosen his shirt and fan him,” commanded Abner. “I’ll go on and cruise for the Injun. Stay here till I come back.”

For several moments Stanley remained with his eyes closed, breathing spasmodically. Then he gasped, “Much obliged, old man. I was about played out.”

“Don’t talk. Just breathe,” directed Bub, his eyes moist with pity. “When Abner gets back you can tell us all about it. But till then take it easy. And, my son, I think you’ll agree that we’ve had several miles of real old fashioned excitement.”

Stanley nodded his head and tried to grin, but could not muster quite enough energy. Neither spoke until nearly an hour had passed,