“What about Toombs?” asked Ned. “If you are seen in our company, the telegram you have good reason to fear may be sent on to New York as soon as he can get out of the wilderness.”
Norman turned paler under the light of the moon and shrank back as if from a blow. His voice trembled as he spoke.
“I thank you for reminding me of my duty to my sister,” he said. “I’m afraid I’ll have to go back to Toombs. I don’t know what he’ll do to me because of my long absence, and because of the suspicious circumstances under which I left the camp. I’m afraid of him!”
“Now look here, Norman,” Frank advised, “this man Toombs is a welcher. He’s a dirty cur, and never kept a promise in his life which it was to his interest to disregard. Whatever you do for him, he’ll exact the last cent of the obligation which he has placed upon you, and will then, at the slightest whim, turn your sister over to the law. I don’t want to give you any advice calculated to get you into trouble, but were I in your place I think I’d go back there and beat his head off! The more you do for him, the stronger will be his grip upon you.”
“And I regard that as good advice!” Jack declared.
“Very good!” Nestor commented.
“I’ll go back with you if you want to beat him up!” offered Jimmie.
“And I’ll go along, too,” Harry said. “I’ve got a bum arm, all right, but I think I could help push that fellow into the Devil’s Punch Bowl.”
“Don’t resort to violence, boys! Don’t resort to violence!” pleaded Gilroy. “I’m shocked now to think how the laws of our country have been disobeyed tonight. Don’t go back to get into more trouble!”
“But look here,” exclaimed Jimmie, “you don’t know how smooth and fat and vicious this man Toombs is. I have never seen much of him, but I’ll tell you right now that he breathes out an atmosphere like that of a snake. I’ll get his goat yet!”