Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/311

 The three men ate heartily of bacon and potatoes and cursed their prisoners roundly for not having any flour in their packs. But they did not offer to give them any of the food.

“I’m hungry,” defiantly announced Bub, as the three finished their meal and proceeded to light their pipes.

“Be ye?” drawled the third man, smoking with great relish. “It’s a good sign in a boy or a hoss to be hungry. Shows natur’ is trying to build up the system. Then by an’ by ye’ll feel thirsty.”

“I’d like a drink of water now,” said Stanley.

“There ye be,” admired the tormentor. “That’s a good sign. I know’d ye’d come to it.” But he made no offer to give either food or drink.

As the evening shadows closed in on the little group the men became impatient. “It’s too late for us to go gunning for the old hound. We’ll have to trust to Nick. What say to putting in the beans?”

This seemed to meet with favor and soon a hole was dug in the ground and filled with wood. This was fed until heaped with coals and then Joe produced from under a bush a huge kettle filled with beans. Evidently the