The two men were apparently taken completely by surprise. They saw that the tables had been suddenly turned. And somehow, although these were only boys who confronted them, there was a grim air of business about those unwavering guns that neither of the cowards fancied at all.
Jack had not known what the result was going to be. He hardly anticipated that the men would dare attack them in the face of those weapons. And he had arranged with George that should they show signs of flight, no one was to raise a hand to prevent them.
When therefore the giant gave vent to a whoop and turning, galloped toward the water’s edge, neither of the boys pulled trigger; though Josh let out a shout as though he might be chasing after; which he was not, all the same, for he did not fancy the looks of either of the rascals.
The second man took to his heels also, dodging to the right and left in a ridiculous manner, as if expecting every second to hear the crash of Jack’s gun, and feel himself being peppered with bird shot.
They could be seen tumbling madly into their rowboat, and pushing out on the lake with all possible speed.
“Let ’em go!” said Josh, grandly, as he replaced his bread knife in the leather scabbard he had made for it, so as to avoid any chance of cutting his fingers by coming in contact with its keen edge, when rummaging in the locker aboard the Wireless, where the cooking things were kept.
Jack was already stooping over Clarence, and in a jiffy had severed the cords that bound him hand and foot.
“I’m awful glad you came, Jack!” said the other weakly. “I believe that coward would have killed me if I didn’t give in to him.”
“Here, work your arms and legs as fast as you can, Clarence!” said George. “We’ve got to get out of this in a hurry now, or they might even find the Comfort, and run away with her. You’re going back with us, you know. Joe got in and told us.”
The two men having put what they thought a safe distance between themselves and the boys, began to shout insulting remarks, and make the most terrible threats. Although they could not be seen out on the lake, it was not so difficult to know in what quarter they chanced to be at the time.