"You open your mouth wide enough to take any thing down," answered Dan, smartly.
"Can't swallow that story, no how," said the overseer. "But who's that boy with you?"
"None of your business. I don't make stories for you to laugh at."
"Yes, you do, my boy. But you needn't row any furder. We want ye both."
"You can't have us."
"We'll see about that," added the man, as he raised his fowling piece.
"No use,—'tain't loaded," snarled the other man in the boat.
"Mine is," replied Dan, elevating the piece.
Longworth cursed his companion for the revelation he had made, and proceeded to load the gun. In the mean time Dan dropped his piece, and began to pull again.
"Stop, now. I don't want to destroy val'able property with this yere iron, but I must if you don't stop," continued the overseer, as he finished loading his gun.