Page:Stringer - Lonely O'Malley.djvu/398

 He suddenly stood transfixed, in his quest for his modest young hero, both puzzled and startled by the scene which met his eyes.

On the river-bank, outlined against the afternoon glare of the quiet water, stood Lonely and Cap'n Steiner, speechless, each vindictively eyeing the other.

The Captain's oak stick was in his upraised hand; his body shook with the stress of some strange emotion. This, the wondering Doctor took note, appeared to be one of rage when he confronted the glowering boy. Yet when his face was turned away, in the direction of the Doctor, it seemed one of sternly repressed hilarity.

"You—you young limb!" gasped the Captain, faintly, looking from Lonely to his tree of Strawberry Reds, and then back to the squinting and hunching Lonely once more.

"You rapscallion! You—you pirooting young varmint! I 'm a-going to whale the hide off you!"

"Well, do it!" said Lonely, sulkily, looking as though he would be much relieved at such a procedure.

"Silas!" cried Miss Arabella from the side