"Some time they'll have revenge for all his bullying," said Mr. Wyeth.
"But it is well at times to have a bully in one's pay," rejoined the manager of Stanham Mills.
"Come, where are those two young nephews of ours?" asked Uncle Daniel, as if to change the subject.
Aunt Clarissa glanced up. "That is a question, brother Daniel, no one can answer," she said.
As Aunt Clarissa spoke, however, two young figures were ascending the rough hill whose outline cut sharp and dark against the afternoon sky. They were walking in single file, and over the shoulder of the first, grasped firmly in both hands, was the barrel of a huge horse-pistol. It was the twins' greatest treasure, for they had discovered it one day up in the rafters of the old store-house near the mill. It was for this the blasting powder had been procured.
They did not know, as they climbed upwards, that they were being watched by a dozen pairs of eyes from the fringe of timber along the ridge, but such was the fact.
"Did you put in a big load this time, William?" inquired the second figure, as the boys left the clearing and plunged into a thicket of scrub-oak.
"The biggest we have fired yet," was the answer. "Methinks it will take both of us to hold it still."
"We won't shoot now," said the other. "Wait until we get further beyond in the wood up by that big rock, where Cato killed the rattlesnake. Perhaps we'll see another there."
They went on some distance, and finding a little path, turned sharply to the right.