"I don't take any orders from you," retorted Hal with fine scorn.
"Open up on the fool, boys—all together!"
Three spurts of flame jetted out from the cover that the ruffians had taken.
Hal steadied his arm by resting it across a branch before him, and fired back, his aim, as before, at the leader.
He had the satisfaction of seeing that rascal's head duck below cover.
Though he could not know it then, Overton had clipped a lock of hair from the fellow's hatless head.
Another volley, which Hal answered with another shot.
"What do you fellows want with guns if you can't shoot better!" hailed Overton derisively.
He didn't want them to shoot any better, but he was trying to anger them and thus make their shooting wilder.
"It won't take us more than half a minute more to get you," flung back the leader.