In Which Archie and Billy Resolve Upon a Deed of Their Own Doing, and are Challenged by Ha-Ha Shallow of Rattle Water
Neither boy slept very much. In Samuel Jolly's spare bed (it was called a spare bed)—where they had tumbled in together—they did more talking than sleeping. And that could not be helped. It was a situation that appealed to the imagination of two chivalrous boys—a woman all alone on Poor Luck Barrens with a madman. When morning came they were up with the first peep of the light; and they were in a nervous condition of such a sort that neither would hesitate over a reckless chance if it should confront them in an attempt to help the writer of the letter of the cleft stick.
"Who is she?" Archie demanded of Samuel Jolly.
"Jinny Tulk, sir—Trapper George's daughter."
"How does she come to be at Poor Luck Barrens?"
"Trapper George has a trappin' tilt there, sir. They're both from this harbour. They goes trappin' on Poor Luck Barrens in the winter. Jinny keeps house for her pop."
"All alone?"
"Ay, sir; there's nobody livin' near."
Archie turned to Billy.
"Look here, Billy," said he, anxiously, "we've got to go. I can't bear it here—with that poor girl all alone——"