"Run, ye spalpeens, run wid ye!" whooped Jimmie, as he thrust his tousled red head through the opening at the bow.
Jack was prepared to repeat the shooting part of the business if there seemed any necessity; and perhaps the next time he would not be so particular about aiming so as to miss the prowlers.
But he immediately saw that there would be no need, for already the pair of would-be thieves could be heard crashing madly through the undergrowth, in the endeavor to make a safe getaway.
Jimmie continued to send derisive shouts after them until Jack advised that he had better bottle up the balance of his enthusiasm.
"But did ye say how they tumbled over wan another whin ye let go?" demanded the Irish lad, gleefully.
"Well," remarked the skipper, dryly, "I noticed that they never waited to leave us a visiting card. And Jimmie, this proves how wise I was to fetch my gun along. I'd advise every fellow who intends to knock about along this river to have some way of defending himself in case of need."
With which remark Jack slipped a new shell into the chamber of his double barrel shotgun.
"Did ye pepper thim good and hot?" asked Jimmie, presently.
"Oh! no, I didn't want to do that," said Jack, quickly. "We really had no business to shoot straight at them unless they were coming aboard. I just aimed close enough to give them a good scare. And I think I did the right thing, too."
"By the powers, I bet ye they're runnin' yit!" ventured his boatmate, confidently.