"No," responded Hal. "Coming up?"
"Come down, I tell you!"
"Some mistake," sneered Hal, still climbing. "I'm headed for the roof."
Below him he heard a threatening click as the bolt of the rifle was thrown back.
"Hey! Don't shoot the kid—yet," ordered another voice. "He'll come down when he sees what we can do to him. He hasn't any show."
So the fellow under the tree went back to join his six companions.
Dietz and Johnson were still holding up their hands. This fact was no reflection on their courage. They were trained fighting men, and had sense enough to realize when the enemy had "the drop" on them.
"You two soldiers," ordered the leader of the ruffians, "lie down on your faces and hold your hands behind your backs for tying."
Neither soldier, however, stirred as yet.
"You heard that, Sergeant?" called Dietz dryly.