“That’s a nice sort of an example to set a fellow,” muttered Ned as he stood on the other side, rather unnerved by what he had seen. “Makes a poor man feel as if he would rather be at home cleaning the plate.”
Then in a fit of determination he flung up his arms, and in regular boyish fashion shouted—
“Clear the way, there. Here comes my ship full sail.”
He cleared the gulf with a good foot to spare, and felt triumphant.
Each took his gun or rifle directly without a word of allusion to Jack’s narrow escape, and with the doctor leading the way they began to climb the steep ascent in silence.
“I hope that fellow’s shouting has not scared our birds,” said the doctor after a time. “Quiet as you can, below there.”
“They were so far off I don’t think the birds could have heard him,” replied Jack. “Perhaps the noise would not have gone out of the gully.”
“Perhaps not,” said the doctor. Then laconically: “Hurt?”
“Oh, not much,” said Jack, smiling. “He did hit me a good bang though.”
“Never mind, my lad; I like to see you bear it stoically. Shows me you’re recovering tone. Phew! this is warm work. How much more of it is there?”