"The lieutenant walked over and patted me on the back with a rifle-butt.
"'What d'ye mean, you s-c-c-coundrel!' he says. 'Stop that laughing or I'll shoot the pair of you!'
"I come to quick when I heard that. 'Look a' here, young feller,' I says, 'you can beat me as much as you feel like, but if you make a crooked play at Percy I'll wrap you up in your diploma and send you home to your ma.'
"It just happened their half-breed scout knew me.
"'I wouldn't rile Mr. Scraggs, Lieutenant,' says he; 'it's bad luck.'
"Of course there was more talk, but the lieutenant was a good enough kid, and when he see all the boys laughin' he give in and smiled himself.
"'Well, you long-legged statue of melancholy,' says he, 'I suppose I'll have to let it go, but I'll shoot you, sure as there is shootin', if you ever play a trick like that on me again. What kind of a fool are you to stay here in the middle of an outbreak, anyhow? Now wake up your friend and come with us.'
"'Thanky,' says I; 'but hold—is the road safe to town?'
'"Sure; we've cleaned 'em, all but one bunch.'
"'Well,' says I, 'then Percy and me'll just amble back together the way we come. I don't want him to know nothing about any trouble.'