Again the men advanced with a shower of stones, and now they were so near that Jet could only find shelter by hugging the side of the hut nearest the door.
"Can't some of you hit him?" the leader asked, angrily. "We mustn't keep the fun up very long, for the boss is bound to come mighty soon, an' there'll be a row that amounts to something if he finds us foolin' like this."
These words caused the men to renew their efforts, and twice did Jet receive a severe blow on the body before he found an opportunity to return the compliment.
Then one of the fellows, leaning over the barricade in order to take better aim, presented a fair target.
Jet brought the cane down on his head with full force, and the fellow fell to the ground like one dead.
A roar of rage went up from the others, but they prudently fell back a short distance, dragging their companion with them.
"You see it isn't going to be so one-sided as you fancied," Jet cried. "Now haul off an' I'll leave without saying another word."
"You won't have much more chance to talk," the leader cried, savagely, as he gathered another armful of rocks; but before he could renew the attack a shout from the distance caused him to drop his weapons very suddenly.
"The boss has come, an' now we shall get a tongue-lashing!" one of the fellows said, as if in alarm.
"I reckon that won't hurt us very much," the leader replied, but at the same time he dropped the rocks, and stood ready to receive the new-comer.