Parry gave one glance at the object and as the thought that he had been tricked worked its way into his brain, he seemed to notice, for the first time that he was tied. Instantly his face grew dark with anger and he began to strain at his bonds. But Rex had done his work well and with all his great strength, he could not loosen them. Rex let him struggle until, panting, he gave it up.
“It’s no use, Parry,” he said. “Your game is up and you might as well make the best of it. Be a sport. You had your innings and now it’s my turn.”
For the space of a minute the breed glared at him. Evidently a struggle was going on in his mind. He was licked for the time being, at any rate.
“All right. I geet up. I be sport lak’ you be.”
“That’s the talk,” Rex declared. “Nothing like knowing when you’re licked.”
“What you do wid me, eh?” Parry asked humbly.
“We haven’t got to that yet,” Rex said. “I guess that’ll need some figuring,” he added turning to Bob and Jack. “But first let’s get the fire going. It’s getting rather cold in here.”
As soon as the fire was sending its shower of sparks up the chimney, at Rex’s suggestion, they lifted the breed into his bunk and drew a thick blanket over him. He said no word, but lay with a look of dejected resignation on his face.
“Now we’ll get together by the fireplace and go into executive session of the ways and means committee,” Rex said, as he drew a chair up close to the fire. “It don’t look to me as though we were out of the woods yet,” he added as the boys followed his example.
“Not by a good many long miles,” Bob agreed.