Hy Adams was bustling around and roaring as was his wont, because he saw the boys ceasing their efforts to disrobe, as he had ordered.
“I done tole yuh what yuh’d git ’less yuh hurried, and take that!” he shouted at the top of his terrible voice, as he aimed a vicious cut at the nearest scout, who happened to be Jimmy.
The quirt struck him squarely across his shoulders, and as there was only a thin garment to protect the skin, Jimmy gave utterance to an involuntary yell, though there may have possibly been more of anger in the outcry than distress.
Then something unexpected happened. That stinging quirt was snatched from the uplifted hand of the bully, and, as he whirled to see who dared interfere with his pleasure, he seemed rooted to the spot to discover the blazing face of a wiry little woman thrust close up to his.
“What’s all this mean, Hy Adams, you big hulking coward!” she shrilled in tones that could be heard all over the camp; “here you darin’ to whip the brave boys that saved our Amos from bein’ drawed down in a quicksand! I told ’em when they stopped in to see me that I’d do anything I could to pay ’em back, and seems like the time has come sooner’n we thought it would. Jest drap them whips—all of ye! There ain’t agoin’ to be any fun like that to-night, you hear me, Hy Adams? Tell the pack to clear out. Hurry up now, and do what I say, or I’ll humble you afore the hull crowd!”
There never was such a complete change in a man as had come over the giant. In that apparently meek little woman he knew of old that he had his boss. Ned understood now plainly enough what Amos meant every time he mentioned his step-father as being such a bully that men jumped to do his bidding; and, on each occasion, wound up with a few mysterious words that, at the time, had piqued his, Ned’s, curiosity very much.
Hy Adams glared at his wife for a full minute; but if anything her snapping eyes blazed with more fire than ever. Then he wilted, as a starched linen collar is likely to do on a hot summer day.
“Shore, it’s all right, Belinda, if yuh sez so,” he said weakly, “we was jest agivin’ ’em a little skeer tuh pay up fur them havin’ knocked us out o’ a bully lot o’ prize steers. But I sure reckons as how they been punished enough. Turn around, boys, and let it go till mornin’, when we’ll kerry out our plans.”
“Not if they mean any harm acomin’ to these boys, just put that in yer pipe and smoke it, Hy Adams,” his wife told him, as she shook her fore finger under his nose; then she suddenly thrust her whole hand against his face, and continued: “Now, make yerself skeerce, ’cause I wants to talk with these boys. But I’ll be awatchin’ you, Hy Adams, don’t forgit that. And I allers keep my word, you know.”
Then Ned understood what Amos had meant when he said there were “high old times” at home every time this big step-father of his came around, and that his visits were getting less numerous.