CHAPTER XX.
KINGDON'S SURPRISING MOVE.
The catboat's engine was suddenly shut off, and then there was no sound from the water to break the silence that had fallen on the group ashore. Before anybody aboard the Spoondrift could speak, Kingdon gestured for silence.
"All right," muttered Red. "I'm willing to get it from here."
Down from the bank above the mooring place came the voice of Horace Pence, cool as ever. Kingdon, who had begun to consider the fellow's bad qualities as uppermost, again felt a thrill of admiration for him.
"Now, Quibb, you know very well you can't do that," Horace was saying soothingly, but with restrained laughter in his voice. "Why bother to try and frighten us?"
"I'll show you——"
"You'll show us nothing but warrants for our arrest," retorted Pence. "You know that's the best you can do—summons us to court. If you think we have been trespassing here, that's your limit. You can't scare us a little bit."
"Oh, I can't, hey?" blustered Enos.
"No. Remember we have shown you the permit from the Manatee Lumber Company."