“If you don't come down we may begin to fire at you,” went on our hero.
“Oh, say, do you think he'll shoot?” whispered Malone, in sudden alarm.
“No; shut up!” returned Caven.
“Are you coming down or not?” went on Joe.
Still there was no reply.
“I'll give 'em a shot to warn 'em,” said Bill Badger, and fired into the air at random.
“Don't shoot me!” roared Pat Malone. “Please don't! I'll come down!”
“Well, you come down first. Caven, you stay up there for the present.”
After this there was a pause, and presently Pat Malone came down out of the tree looking sheepish enough.
“Up with your hands!” cried Bill Badger, and confronted by the firearms the hands of the rascal went up in a hurry.