Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/322

306 rupted Hannah. "I know you are hungry," she added, looking shrewdly at Josh, "and we 've just got some breakfast for you. It's all ready now, and you won't have to wait long."

"Thank ye, miss," began Josh dubiously.

"Come on, Robert," said Hannah, quickly giving her friend a keen look as she turned to him for a moment.

"Will ye give me yer word ye won't try t' get away?" demanded Josh dubiously, of Robert.

"I 'll give you nothing!" said Robert tartly. "I shan't ask you if I can come or go." His hand was on his pistol as he spoke, and his face was flushed with anger. He would not go with this man, he reasoned, come what might.

"You won't any of you try to get away while you are eating that breakfast. I'm sure you are not afraid of me, and you are not afraid of him, are you?" Hannah demanded of Josh, as she pointed at Robert.

"Ho! ho! Afraid o' him? I'd take three such fellows an' knock their heads together any day o' the week for a half joe!"

There was a threatening movement on Robert's part, for his anger was rapidly mastering