Andy, too, was equal to the emergency, and had his gun leveled directly at the figure of the sprawling man. There was a grim suggestiveness about the way in which all these things worked that must have staggered any one thus taken completely by surprise.
“Lie just where you are, unless you want to get hurt!” cried Rob, in an authoritative voice. “If you make any attempt to get up, or show fight, you’ll have to take the consequences, and they’ll not be pleasant, either. Understand that, Zeb Crooks?”
“Oh, that’s who it is, eh?” burst from Andy. Tubby too must have seen a sudden light, though he was really a busy boy and did not bother to express his astonishment; for no sooner had he seen those fine bits of dry resinous wood begin to flash up than, remembering his instructions, he waddled across the floor, much after the fashion of a fat duck, and, securing Rob’s gun, hastened to join the group near by.
Already the resuscitated fire had begun to illuminate the interior of the bunk-house. The glow disclosed a most singular scene, and one the boys would often remember with a smile.
The big man on the floor was staring at the trio of lads with a strange mixture of emotions depicted on his swarthy and bearded face. Evidently he was sorely puzzled to account for their presence there, when he had firmly believed the building to be wholly without occupants. He may have struck a match and read the “Notice” which the boys had not removed from the outside of the door.
“Who might the lot of you be?” he asked, still squatted there as he had fallen after forcing his entrance, with his rifle alongside, though he dared make no move toward regaining possession of the weapon with those two guns wavering back and forth so close to his face.
Rob bent over and quietly secured possession of the repeating rifle. The action showed him to be a diplomat of the first water, for in so doing he cut the claws of the wild beast they had trapped.
“We’ll talk with you after we’ve made sure you’re not going to give us any trouble, Zeb. Tubby, step over and fetch the piece of rope that’s hanging from the peg yonder.”
Tubby obeyed with alacrity—for him. Rob, taking the gun from his hands, gave another order.
“My friend, please accommodate us by rolling over on your face, and holding both your hands behind you. We mean to tie them there, wrist to wrist. It’ll do no good for you to grumble, because it’s just got to be done.”