“Oh! all right, Jack, just as you say,” he expressed himself.
“Understand,” Jack explained, seeing that the fat boy felt hurt; “it isn’t because there’s any doubt about your courage and all that; but none of us can say how far we may have to tramp, or what swamps we’ll have to wade through; and you admit, Nick, that you’re not fitted for campaigning in that line as well as some of the rest of us.”
“Sure, I know that,” said Nick, heaving a sigh.
“But,” continued Jack, as though he had had a second thought, “as three of us ought to be enough, I guess I’ll leave a second guard behind. Herb, would you mind staying, to keep Nick company? It’s just as much a post of honor as going with George, Jimmy and myself. And you’ll have to keep watch all the time.”
“Oh! I’m ready to do just what you say, Jack. I believe you know best; and while of course I’d rather be with the hunting party, count on me holding up the other end with Nick here,” Herb hastened to declare.
“Then that’s settled,” Jack went on, relieved to find that his plans were meeting with next to no opposition. “Of course you’ll have your gun, while each of us will go armed; for there’s no telling what we may meet up with. I’ll take the rifle, while George and Jimmy have the scatter-guns.”
“Yes, and if you find Josh, how will you let us know?” Herb asked.
“I’ll fire six shots at regular intervals of about two seconds apart. Be sure to count them carefully if you hear any firing, because in case we meet up with a prowling panther, or anything like that, the shooting would be more rapid.”
When Jack mentioned that one word “panther,” it might have been observed that Nick’s mouth opened, as if sudden dismay had seized hold upon him. However, once more he summoned his nerve to the fore, and shut his teeth hard together. It was Herb, fortunately, who advanced the proposition that must have been buzzing in the brain of the more timid Nick.