"But who would want to kill me?" demanded Stubbs, plainly very nervous.
"It might have been one of your conspirators," said Hal. He displayed the weapon from which a bullet had sped toward his own head.
"Hey!" shouted Stubbs. "Put that gun down! Don't shoot!"
The little man was so visibly frightened that Hal looked at him in surprise.
"Surely you didn't think I was going to shoot you, Mr. Stubbs?" he asked in some surprise.
"I don't know," returned Stubbs, wiping a moist brow with his handkerchief. "I don't understand you fellows at all. First you said you wanted to kill me five minutes ago and there you stand with a gun in your hand. What am I to think?"
"Stubbs, you're crazy," said Hal, calmly. "I didn't say I wanted to kill you. When I came into the tent just now there was a man took a shot at me. I don't know whether he wanted to kill me, or whether he wanted to kill you. He may even have been trying to kill Chester. He didn't take time to investigate. He fired at the first figure to enter the tent. I don't know who he was. Have you any enemies?"
"I—I—Why I don't know," said Stubbs.
"How about the conspirators. Do any of them know you?"
"What conspirators?" demanded Stubbs, and added, "I wish you would quit harping on that subject. It's all right to have a little fun with me once in a while. I don't mind it; but enough is enough."