“We’ll see about that when we’ve got ye hum. I guess if ye go a few days without eatin’ or sleepin’, an’ have the rawhide laid over yer shoulders ten or twenty times every hour, ye’ll be glad to tell us all we want to know. Come here, Tom, an’ hit him a clip with yer paddle. I guess that’ll fetch him to his senses.”
“Souse him under,” replied Tom; “that’s the way to make him give in.”
Jake was prompt to act upon the suggestion.
Julian resisted him desperately, but one or two severe blows on the fingers with the edge of Tom’s paddle broke his hold on the side of the canoe, and his head was forced under the water. Jake held him there a few seconds, and then pulled him to the surface, and after giving him time to draw a breath or two, and clear his eyes of the water, asked him if he would abandon the struggle and allow himself to be drawn into the boat.
“Jake Bowles seized Julian by the collar and held fast.”—[Page [109]].
“No,” replied Julian, not in the least daunted; “I’ll never give up while I have any strength left.”
“Stick him under agin,” said Tom, and down went Julian’s head for the second time.