“Well, tell me, how does it carry them; stand the jolt? And how are you going to unload it? Looks to me as if you’re kidding. But I don’t see any joke in it.”
“Kidding? Indeed I’m not, man! But I can’t stop now—”
“Oh, yes you will, too! My business is more important right now than yours. I want to see inside and I’m going to. You come here and open these doors for me!”
“What? Trying to act smart, ain’t you?” The little man was about to turn back to his work, but Don caught him by the shoulder, whirled him around and he gazed into the muzzle of the boy’s revolver.
“S-s-say, what you—?”
“Open those doors! There’s a fellow in there that’s going back with us. He’s in there and I want him! Come on, open that door and be quick about it. Wash, bore a hole in this fellow if he makes a break!”
“S-say, put down that pistol! I haven’t done anything to you. Listen to reason: there ain’t anyone in there. The man who was here—some fellow I don’t know went up the road. Guess he’s a Frenchman.”
“I guess he is—not!” said Don. “I know him; saw him before in the United States and up here near Montdidier. Come, open up or chase him out!”
“I tell you there’s explosives—”