Part 15 (1/2)
”HEY! what's all this , and nobody woke me up, to let me stand my trick at the wheel! I don't think you're treatin' me fair, that's what, fellers!” and bu his eyes as he looked around him in wonder
The fact of the et on very ithout calling on the fat boy to stand sentry duty Most of thes, no ht be; and Thad had secretly arranged to leave hi of as going on until, s coffee, he had opened his eyes to findabout, and breakfast well on the way, under the supervision of Giraffe and Allan
”The whole blessed night gone, and et-out,”
complained the stout member of the patrol, as he cliood, anyway Nothin' happened, after all nobody ain't been kidnapped by the moonshi+ners, have they, because I can count--what, there don't seeone, and yet I don't ot to count yourself, buoes to sho modest I am, you see,” chuckled the other, as he started toward the spring to get the sleep out of his eyes by the use of so out Step Hen; ”but how about that President Cornelius Jasper Hawtree business? Seeh office ain't so very retiring after all”
But bumpus refused to be drawn into any discussion of hisHe caotten to carry along with him But as breakfast was announced just about that tiotten in the pleasant task of appeasing their clamorous appetites
While they ate they talked, and enious scouts, all looking to the undoing of the enemy, as they chose to consider the combination of Reuben Sparks and Old Phin Dady
Bob asked that they reht in that ca voice raised They were fairly comfortable, and their haversacks still held a certain ao skir in the direction of the houses across the valley, to see if there was a chance for buying fresh eggs; breakfast bacon; salt pork; or even grits, as the finer grade of hohout the entire South
As for Bob and hin for the day
He believed that it ht pay them to climb up the side of the mountain
This would be looked upon by any of Old Phin's followers, should they see the boys, as in keeping hat the patrol leader had told the s and a suspicious about such a ain declared that one of thethis part of the country for their hike, had been the desire to cliained, they could at least have a good birdseye view of the entire region, the queer bowl-shaped little valley, at the further end of which nestled the pretentious house of Reuben Sparks, and the nearby cabins; as well as the back trail
Besides, possibly they ard to what theMost of these men lived in the little ramshackle cabins they had occasionally passed on theor two, and possibly a slab-sided mule, constituted the sole possessions of the poor whites But then, others doubtless had horeat elevations that reared their rocky heads heavenward These were the parties who, like Old Phin himself, were in demand by the authorities, and anted to take as few chances of arrest as possible
No revenue ion without the keen eyes of ahin the daring ht have that he was discovered
Bob was only too glad of a chance to get off in the company of Thad He wanted to talk over matters with the other very ht about the situation
So, as they clih slowly, upward, they chatted in low tones Thad had warned his coine an enely, so as not to betray the Plenty of tith, over soain, perhaps they would have it comparatively easy for a brief interval
”Here's a plain trail leading upward,” remarked Thad, whose eyes had been on the lookout all the tioing, because whoever lives up here would know the softest road”
”That's true,” assented Bob; ”but we'd best not keep on this sa around at his chum
”You must know that it sure leads, sooner or later, to soood reason for keeping away fro; and I suppose you ry so his trail?” Thad suggested
”Angry--well, that hardly covers the ground,” chuckled Bob ”When these ht off the handle Never waste tis as they see theuns speak, generally sooes down”
”Well, on the whole I think what you said carries so ht with me, Bob, that I've lost pretty much all interest in this same trail It don't look near so attractive as it did; and I wouldn't be surprised if we'd ht up the face of the old hill”