“Who but ze master, M. Bodman heemself. Ze first zing I notice was zat both the brave guides zey haf zere hands held up in ze air, as eef to show zat it was none of zere affair.”
“Wise men, François, and it looks as if they knew this visitor. Did you hear his name mentioned?”
“Oui, m’sieu. Eet was when my employer say heem Mr. James Bodman, and zat he is a power un ze world of finance; when zis pig owner of ze dog tell how he ees ze Terrible Badger, and zat he runs zings up here in the woods as he pleases.”
“Then it seems that Mr. Bodman met his match at last. He was pretty hot about the collar, wasn’t he, François; I mean, of course, that he acted furious?” Ethan asked.
“It did not make any deeference to zat Terrible Badger. He see ze dog zat was worth five hundred dollars, and with one shot from hees gun he kills heem.”
“Whew! he must have been wild!” declared Ethan; “but we heard a lot of shooting and shouting, François; did the others of the party dare attack this man of the woods, and was there a regular battle?”
“I do not zink so, m’sieu. I myself am running evaire so fast just zen; but ze last look I take I have seen my employer dancing ze hop-step-and-jump while zat madman shoot close to hees toes.”
Ethan could not keep a broad grin from appearing on his face at that.
“Then it must have been those two who were doing most of the shouting, the dancing man threatening all sorts of things that were to come; and the man with the gun telling him to try another step like the tango. You’d think, even if the guides washed their hands of the whole business, the other sportsmen might have taken a hand in the game, instead merely of looking on.”
“Oh! zey did, I assure you, m’sieu! Zey dance just ze same as ze gentleman. Eet may be zat wild-man he tell zem zey must keep time wif ze music or ze bullets zey might not miss zere ankles.”