Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/247

 Laura, this chap insisted on staying behind and then puts up a fight against Big Nick. He had a stick and Nick had a rifle and was ready to shoot. Not only that, but he tried to desert us and find the enemy and make them believe that he was alone in the woods and was—”

“Stop it!” cried Stanley, his face a deep ruddy color. “Don’t talk nonsense. If Bub hadn’t made the trip to the house, here, and got the ammunition and brought it in double quick to Abner, and then found me just as I was about to drop, why, you’d have an easier time cooking to-day and—”

“Stanley Malcolm, you can talk more fool things in a minute,” exploded Bub. “S’pose she wants to hear that stuff?”

“She certainly does,” cried Laura. “Do you know, I think you both as nice as you can be. It makes me tingle to think of being chased by that man through the dark woods. I should have had a crying spell and fainted, I’m sure.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” grinned Bub. “They don’t grow cowards up here on old Hood.”

“I should say not,” enthusiastically cried Stanley.

“But I didn’t ‘grow’ up here,” modified Laura. “I was born and brought up near