“But why haven’t you gone back into the camp?” continued Ethan. “Surely it would be safer for you among those who have guns.”
“Ah! m’sieu, it ees easy to talk, but you do not know how terrible zat wild man look. And if ze guides zey will not lift a hand to fight, what chance would poor François haf? I shall remain here in zis beautiful retreat till ze darkness come, and zen go back to make a new bargain with M. Bodman. Eef he promise to protect me I can again cook ze lofely meals; but eef he refuses me zat favor eet means zat François’ skill ees lost. Everyzing I try I should make a failure of. Ze soup eet be spill, ze bread burned, and ze dishes he adores I forget how to make.”
“Oh! the danger is likely all over with, François,” Phil told the poor shivering chef. “This angry owner of the dogs has taken his revenge, and will fight shy of your camp after this. You can go back without running any great risk. But do you think any one was hurt by all that shooting?”
A negative shake of the head answered this question.
“But we only see one of the guides in the camp?” continued Phil.
“Ze gentlemen zey are in ze cabin resting after zere mad dance. Zey haf to keep eet up till zey nearly ready to drop before he say he haf enough. I am afraid zat M. Bodman he burst a blood vessel, he appear to be so red in hees face. Ze uzzer guide zey haf in zere doing somezings for zem.”
Phil was completely satisfied by now.
“Nothing for us to do over here, it seems, Ethan,” he suggested.
“I reckon not,” replied the other.
“Our intentions were good, but fortunately there is no need of our services, as nobody was injured. So we might as well start back home, Ethan.”