Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/317

 to be serious till Bub let fly with his feet, crying lustily, “Hi, you two big cowards, want to kill us!”

This brought the men to their senses and still cursing they untied the ropes and staggered to their feet.

“What d’ye mean, ye young whelps, by kicking me like that?” bellowed Pete, drawing back his heavy boot for a blow.

“Your friend kicked you. We’re black and blue from your brutality,” protested Stanley. “If you intend to kill us, do it; but don’t kick us to death.”

“Shut up,” snarled Pete, stirring the third man roughly. “Hi, Ben, git up.”

Ben, like the other two, was in a nasty temper and swore roundly at Pete for calling him by name. “What ye didn’t give away last night ye can be counted on to tell this mornin’,” he accused.

The three might have fallen-to and attacked each other, if Bub had not foolishly taunted, “There’s mighty little we don’t know about you. Jim Nace never sent a bigger pack of blunderers to do his dirty work.”

The three stood and looked at each other in silence for several moments. Pete was the first to speak and there was something very