"We might have reported the shooting," Rick said carefully. "You could have gotten into trouble. Why didn't you just ask us to leave?"
"That would have brought questions I didn't want to answer. Why didn't you report it?"
That stopped Rick. They might have reported it, if there had been more opportunity to go into detail with John Gordon.
Conversation lapsed. The man filled a coffeepot from a water bag, brought out a propane-powered single-burner camp stove, and started the coffee going.
In a short time a simple breakfast of fruit juice, crackers, cheese, and coffee was ready. Then, as he juggled a hot mug of coffee, Rick said, "We're mighty grateful, sir. But we can't thank you properly when we don't know your name."
The man studied them again, over the lip of his coffee mug. "When did you boys get to Scarlet Lake?"
Rick told him. There was no reason to conceal it.
"Uh-uh. I figgered you were pretty new. Now tell me exactly what happened here last night."
The boys hesitated.
Rick asked, "Are you just being curious?"