"You must stretch your legs, youngster, or mother'll get tired waiting for me. She might take a notion not to give me any supper."
It was not long before they came in sight of the cabin. Here a surprise, and by no means an agreeable one, awaited Dean. On a bench in front of the cabin sat a man whom he had good reason to remember, and equal reason to fear—Peter Kirby.
CHAPTER XXIX.
"SHOULD OLD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT?"
If Dean was surprised to see his old enemy in such an out of the way place, Kirby was no less surprised to see his former traveling companion. There was this difference: the encounter brought him pleasure, while to Dean it carried dismay. Neither could understand where on earth the other had sprung from.
"Oho!" laughed Kirby, "so we meet again."
Dan looked surprised, thinking the words were addressed to him, but following the direction of Kirby's eyes, he saw that he was mistaken.
"Do you know this boy?" he asked.
"Do I know him? Why, we started from the East together."