"An older hand than you might have been taken in. They probably got a glimpse of your telegram, and were thus able to deceive you, so don't feel badly."
"But they will now be able to get into the house."
"I'm not so sure of that. Those there must fancy that one or both of us were hurt in the scrimmage, and would look mighty close before letting two enter without a struggle."
"Are you wounded badly?" Jet asked.
"My leg is useless, and I lost considerable blood before I had time to get a bandage around it."
"How did you give them the slip?"
"After you left I fired two rounds, and then crawled into the bushes. They didn't dare to hunt me out while it was dark, because I could have killed the first who came near, so I had a chance to circle around the clearing. I wanted to be here when you came up with the reinforcements."
"Have the fellows in the woods done much firing?"
"No; they have kept mighty quiet, and I'm hoping that some of our bullets hit the mark by chance. We must get out of here as soon as possible. Can't you find something that would answer as a crutch? Thus far I've hunted in vain."
"I'll do better than that, Mr. Harvey, if you'll get on my back."