"All you can do is growl," flared Kirby, who was Pence's strongest admirer.
"Give that Kingdon and his crew half a show, and they'll get us into hot water of some kind," Ben fumed.
"Listen," commanded the black-eyed chap, whose influence over his mates was by no means dissipated. "I want to know why we should get out of here at all?"
"But, Horrors," Ben said, "you know they'll do something mean to us."
"You're judging them by what you'd do yourself."
"Didn't they take our canoes in the first place?"
"But they didn't keep them," said Horrors. "That Kingdon is as square a chap as I ever saw."
"What's that?" exclaimed Kirby. "Have you fallen in love with him?"
"Well, I can't say I hate him just because he is ready to fight, as long as he fights fair."
"I could lick him, easy," boasted Kirby.