“It’s all right, little one,” he assured the child, whom he carried in his arms. “I’ve got some friends, and just as soon as I can get to them we’ll go and drive the bad men away.”
He gave first Jack and then Rex a violent shake, as soon as he reached the spot.
“Wake up there and be quick about it,” he ordered.
“Hey, what’s the big idea?” Jack began sleepily. Then, as he forced open his eyes and, by the light of Bob’s torch, saw the child in his brother’s arms, he rose to a sitting position.
“For the love of Mike, where’d you get it?” he gasped.
“Do they raise them on trees up here?” Rex, who was sitting up, asked.
“It’s no time to answer questions,” Bob declared in a low tone, and he quickly told them what he had gathered from the child. “It’s probably some breeds or Indians trying to rob the house. But come on, there’s no time to lose.”
Still carrying the child in his arms, Bob led the way back through the snow to the tree where he had found the child.
“You live that way?” he asked, pointing.
“Yeth, wite over dare.”