“Well, your old lair, then.”
“Yes, it do seem likely,” said the big fellow, rubbing his ear. “Giving him such a chance to aim at us. Yes, it won’t do; but I must find that pipe. Look here, s’pose I go up to my hut and see if he’s there.”
“Do,” said Dallas, “and we’ll go with you and trap him if he is there.”
“Hoomph!” grunted Tregelly. “I’m feared there won’t be any trapping, my sons. If he’s there he won’t be took without a hard fight. Hadn’t you two better let that be till the other fellows come back? Then we could lay siege to him and finish him off for it must come to that.”
“We are three to one,” said Dallas quietly. “It seems cowardly to wait for more.”
“Dunno,” said their companion. “He don’t fight fair, or I’d tackle him myself. You see, he aren’t a man; he’s a savage beast. Look here, we’ve got the sledge; let’s take it on. I’ll go without my pipe.”
“No; you shall not,” said Dallas. “Let’s go to the hut. He may not be there. Perhaps fled far enough.”
“I dunno, my son. He’d run when he was beat for his old shelter, and I don’t like making you two run bad risks just because I want a pipe o’ bacca.”
“We do not look at it in that light, Bob,” said Dallas firmly. “This man is our mortal enemy, who seems determined to have our lives out of revenge, and it is our duty to save those lives at his expense. After what has passed I look upon him as a sort of human tiger whose claws must be drawn. Let’s take this opportunity of capturing the brute. We’ll go together and draw his fire; or perhaps we shall be able to see and disable him without his being able to do us any mischief.”
Tregelly shook his head solemnly.