CHAPTER XX
BAD LUCK AND GOOD
Of course Darry knew what this attack meant.
His enemy had been brooding over matters for a long time, and despairing of accomplishing his end while Darry was armed with a gun, during his daily visits to the big marsh, he had finally decided to lie in wait and have it out on the road from the village.
Jim wisely backed himself up with a couple of allies in thus undertaking to give his enemy that long-delayed whipping.
He had tried it once by himself and apparently had no relish to repeat the experiment.
Perhaps it would have been the part of wisdom on the part of the young life saver to have taken to his heels and beat a masterly retreat.
Great generals have done this same thing and considered it no dishonor to save their army for another day.
To a high-spirited lad, however, it is the last thought, and many a fellow will stand the chances of a beating rather than to turn his back on the foe.
Of course there was no time to consider the matter.