Kit gave a muffled groan, and put his hand to his arm. The blood was trickling through his fingers.
"Keep out of range of the windows everybody," shouted Ted, from the lounge.
"Them fellers is quick an' peevish!" shouted Bud. "I'm goin' ter git one er two, shore's my name ain't John Henry Thomas Quackenbush."
There was a stairway in the hall, and Bud went up the steps three at a time.
They heard his step overhead, then his voice in a roar of angry surprise.
"Jumpin' sand-hill fleas!" he yelled. "So that's yer game, is it?"
Outside there was a crash, and through the window they saw a falling ladder; then two men hurtling through the air.
In a moment there was a thud on the earth, and yells of agony.
"They were trying to surprise us from above, but good old Bud got there in time to fool them," said Ted. "Bully for him. Ben, go up and help him. He may need it."
Several shots outside broke the silence that followed the fall of the ladder, and the breaking of glass in the upper windows.