Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/378



sun was about an hour high when the two youths halted within a few hundred feet of the enemies’ camp. Great caution was now necessary and Bub dropped on his hands and knees and motioned for Stanley to follow his example. Owing to the intervening blackgrowth the conversation of the four men was audible several minutes before they were seen.

Abner had crawled to his feet, and as his young friends silently wriggled their way through the last barrier and were afforded a view of the scene his captors were busily tying him to a tree and showering him with curses.

But Abner’s spirit was indomitable, and as if to give the boys warning, should they be within the reach of his voice, he loudly called, “Ye won’t git them younkers. They’ve seen my smoke and will know enough to keep away. Put that in yer pipe and smoke it.”

“Ye will have it now, will ye?” raged Pete, raising a hatchet.

“Take it easy,” restrained Ben, catching the 351