After going a certain distance he turned and looked toward them, as if measuring the intervening space. Roger even thought he could see him fitting an arrow to his bowstring and at once half raised his rifle threateningly. If Batiste had intended trying a shot at them, he speedily abandoned his idea when he saw how ready they were to send their lead in his direction. He must have known that pioneer boys were quite at home with their long-barreled guns, and could snip off the swaying head of a wild turkey, buried in the earth to its neck, at the annual shoots where the best marksmen came together to compete.
At any rate, he contented himself with shaking his fist in their direction, and then moving away again.
“A good riddance to bad rubbish!” exclaimed Roger, though evidently pleased to see the last of the ruffian.
“And we’d better be getting away from here as soon as we can,” remarked Dick, better able than his impulsive companion to understand what this chance encounter, and the making of an enemy, might mean for them.
“But he knows that François Lascelles, Dick; you heard him say so!” Roger remarked, as he started to fasten his horse, so that they could cut up the game as speedily as possible, and ride away, one of them meanwhile standing guard, so that the half-breed might not sneak up close enough to use his bow on them.
“Yes, I guessed that he might, for they belong to the same class,” the other observed, thoughtfully. “Perhaps Lascelles has bought pelts from this rover, and they may be the best of friends. And, if he knows that the French trader is anywhere around here now, be sure he will try to get word to him as fast as he can, to tell about our coming. And from now on we will have to be on our guard every minute of the day and night, looking for an attack from either the Indians, or the party of the Frenchman. They did not seem to know just how many started out with Lascelles and his son, but it must have been several.”
“And of the same stripe as himself,” remarked Roger, starting to take the skin from the young elk with a skill that had been attained only through long practice. “Remember what our fathers said, Dick; day and night we must keep watch for the silent foe that would crawl up on us unseen, and catch us napping!”