But Blinky was not ready just yet to relinquish the defensive situation of which he had command.
Just then Frank saw the front door open very slightly and knew that he had two boys there, with their guns, ready to close in. He rose immediately from the stooped position, poked his rifle through the broken pane of the window, and called out:
“Throw up your hands, both of you!”
Snadder and Blinky turned to the window from which the words came and saw a young man standing behind a rifle that was leveled at both of them.
Snadder, lithe and quick, turned in a flash toward the front door.
It opened wide, and Lanky and Paul stood in the opening, each with a firearm pointing directly at the tall fellow.
“Throw up your hands, fellows!” again came the command from Frank Allen. “Lanky, if he makes a move, shoot him!”
Both of the tramps lifted their hands very slowly above their heads, Blinky putting the chair down carefully before he obeyed the command.
Buster Billings walked into the dining room at this juncture, his shotgun ready for use.
“Buster, go over there and search them, while we keep them covered,” said Frank.