“There are others, Stacy. You don’t know all. They were all here, and after they went away he came back and—”
“Others?” Stacy’s face went solemn. “If that’s the case, I reckon we’d better run while the running is good.”
“I can’t, not yet. I must talk with you. There is something to be done before we leave. But you were so brave, and all the time you were hiding behind the bushes, letting that desperate fellow shoot at you without your firing a shot fearing that you might hit me. It was wonderful! What did you mean when you accused the man of stealing your fish—had you seen him before?”
“Of course I had seen him. He tried to interfere with me while I was fishing for a mess of trout for you yesterday afternoon. I did get a mess of them, beauties, too,” declared Stacy boastfully. “I finally got tired; the bait gave out, so I ate part of a can of beans and lay down for a nap. Well, I didn’t wake up, I guess, until this morning. The fish were gone, and so were the rest of the beans. I tell you I was good and angry. When I got here you were having your misunderstanding with the ruffian.”
“And you really were in those bushes shooting at him?”
“I was in the bushes all right.”
“But who fired that last shot that hit him?” demanded Miss Briggs suddenly, regarding her companion narrowly.
“The—the sec—That’s so. I wonder who did. He was some shooter. But listen! I know. It must have been one of that fiend’s friends shooting at me. He didn’t hit the fellow he fired at. Isn’t that a good joke on the fellow in the bushes, and on the one that got hit!” cried the fat boy, his assurance returning. “Tell me what has happened here.” Stacy was stalking back and forth twirling the outlaw’s weapon on his finger.
“Come with me to the shack and I will tell you. Tragedy, not comedy, has come to this place. I would have given anything could you have been here to help me, for, Stacy, I needed help as I never in my life needed it before. Listen, for we must lose no time in doing what we have to do, and then get away from this unhappy spot.”
They were in the cabin by this time.