“Didn’t you see no Quaker feller ’round here, an’ ain’t he got no letter like Duff said?” squeaked Dexter, over Duff’s shoulder, in his peculiar gasping tones.
“Shut up, you!” commanded Duff, turning to his companion savagely. “Who said anything about a Quaker?” And then to John in the same tones: “Now we have no time for foolishness, bub! We want information and, by heaven, we propose to have it!”
As he spoke the hideous fellow leaped toward the boy as though to seize him.
“Stand back there!” the lad cried, clubbing his rifle, unwilling to shoot, much as he was inclined to do so, unless it were absolutely necessary.
“Grab him! Grab him, you blasted fools!” yelled Duff furiously, and Dexter and Quilling, who ran to their leader’s side, attempted to do so.
Dodging the fellows, John dealt a stunning blow on Duff’s head with the butt of his rifle, then, springing to one side, escaped the terrific lunge the brute made toward him, and in another second he had leaped upon Neb’s back, Dexter and Quilling being not five yards away. He seized the reins from the branch over which they were thrown, and a word was enough to set the horse off at a gallop.
A bullet whistled over John’s shoulder as he bent down to avoid the low limbs of the trees, and the terrible tones of Duff, as in the vilest language he cursed his companions for being too slow, rang in his ears.
One other shot was fired but it went wide. For five minutes he gave Neb free rein, then knowing that he was, for the time being, safe, he stopped, nervous and excited, and doubting if his conduct had been either brave or wise.
“But it was three against one and those fellows would have tried to make me tell all I know about that letter, and Duff’s temper is so awful! He would have killed me, like as not, if I would not tell him anything,” John reasoned, persuading himself that he had done well to escape.
What was next to be done? That was the all-important question, after all. Its answer, John decided, depended entirely on what Duff and his agreeable companions meant to do, and he resolved to ascertain their intentions.