“He’s got a gun!” snapped Giraffe, looking to Thad to give the order to send back as good as they received.
It was a time for quick thinking. The tramp was evidently a desperate sort of fellow, who, finding himself in danger of arrest, meant to stand out to the end. He may not have tried to injure any of them when he fired that shot, but all the same it gave the boys a chill, and several of them involuntarily ducked their heads, as if they fancied the hobo had picked them out for his target, and that they had heard the whiz of the lead past their ears.
Thad sized up the situation in that speedy way of his. Occasions sometimes crop up that call for the promptest kind of action; and surely this looked like one of that kind.
“Allan, keep on in the center, and I’ll turn his flank!” he shouted. “Bend down, everybody, and get behind a rock if you can. We’ve just got to land him, that’s all there is about it!”
Even while saying this the scout master was on the jump, and, passing Allan as well as Bob White, he sped toward the edge of the water, making a half circle.
There was another sharp report from the rocks, but, although the boys held their breath while watching their leader run, they rejoiced to see that he gave no sign of having been injured by the tramp’s firing.
Every boy was keyed up to what Giraffe would call “top-notch” condition; doubtless hands quivered while they clutched gun or club, and hearts beat with the rapidity of so many trip-hammers. But to their credit it could be said that not one of them as much as looked back over their shoulders, to see if the way for retreat was open. That spoke well for their courage, at least.
Thad reached the spot which he had set out to attain, and instantly whirled, to aim his gun toward the rock pile. It was just as he had anticipated, for the tramp, while sheltered on the one side, was fully exposed on that looking down the river.
“Surrender, or it’ll be the worse for you!” shouted Thad.
“Jump him, boys!” roared Giraffe, utterly unable to keep back a second longer, while his nerves were quivering in that furious fashion.