"Yes; and we know that the hant's there too," replied Dan. "If I'd known that he was such a looking feller as that, you can bet your bottom dollar that I wouldn't have gone nigh him. He didn't have them white clothes on yesterday. You needn't set down, thinking that I'm going to wait for you, 'cause I'm going straight home."
Tired and weak as he was, Silas was obliged to go, too, for he hadn't the courage to stay there alone until he was rested. He wasn't very steady on his legs, and by no means as sure-footed as he usually was; but he managed to keep along with Dan, who, as fast as his wind came back to him, increased his pace, first to a slow trot, then to a fast trot, and finally to a dead run, every fresh burst of speed calling forth a corresponding exertion on the part of his father, who, struggling gamely to keep up, was so nearly exhausted by the violence of his efforts that he was often on the point of falling in his tracks.
A Run for Home
This was the way they were moving when Mrs. Morgan discovered them approaching the house. She was greatly astonished when she saw the nervous haste with which they closed and locked the door, and witnessed their frantic but unsuccessful attempts to recharge their guns, and she was frightened when she caught a glimpse of their faces; but with all her questioning, she could not get a word out of them.
They stared stupidly at her, as they rocked about in their chairs, but did not seem to possess the power of speech.
"Our tongues were stiffer'n a couple of boards, and we couldn't nary one of us open our heads," was the way in which Dan wound up his story. "At first I thought the hant had put some kind of a spell or 'nother on to us; but it went away after a while, and now we can both talk as well as we ever could. I reckon you won't go back, will you, Joey?"
To Dan's utter amazement, the young game-warden replied with the greatest promptness:
"Of course I shall go back. What would Mr. Warren think of me if I should throw up my situation before I had fairly entered upon its duties? I haven't seen anything to get frightened at."