“That was enough for me, so I slips my rifle out from where it was tied on to the sledge. Next minute, as two more shots were fired, I came, leaving the sledge to take care of itself—coming on as fast as I could, feeling sure that the enemy was at you chaps, but wondering why the firing should be so one-sided. Couldn’t make it out a bit.”
“But it went on, and I was wide awake enough now, and hadn’t come much farther when I was brought up short by the clicking of guns being cocked, and some one says in a low voice, ‘Stand,’ he says, ‘or we’ll blow you out of your skin.’ ‘Two can play at that,’ I says: ‘who are you?’ ‘Norton, and six more,’ says the voice; ‘who are you?’ ‘Bob Tregelly o’ Trevallack, Cornwall, mates,’ I says. ‘Good man and true,’ says another voice. ‘Look here, mate, there’s firing going on up at your place; we’ve heard it ever so long, and couldn’t quite make out where it was, but it’s there for certain.’ ‘Yes,’ I says, ‘come on; but let’s spread out and take or make an end of those who are firing.’”
“Hah!” ejaculated Abel. “Go on.”
“They did just as I told ’em, and spread out, while I crept nigher and nigher, reglarly puzzled, for the firing had stopped. Last of all I saw that chap’s face as he lit up a whole box of matches. That was enough for me. I knew him again.”
“Was it Redbeard?” said Dallas excitedly.
“No, my son; I’m sorry to say it wasn’t the moose with the finest pair of horns; but I had to take what I could get, and I fired. But I’ve left the sledge out yonder to take care of itself. I hope none o’ them ruffians o’ street-boys’ll find it and get helping themselves.”
“Then Redbeard has got away again,” said Abel.
“Don’t know yet, my son, till the others come back. They may have had better luck than I did.”
At that moment Scruff burst out in a deep-toned bark from the back of the hut.
“Look out,” said Tregelly sharply, as they halted, having reached the front. “We may get a shot if he’s only wounded.”