Part 2 (1/2)
And so froerly on the watch for new sights He asked many questions that proved his mind had awakened; and Thad knew that that half hour when the scout had lain alongside the mountain road down in North Carolina, had possibly been the turning point in his career; for he would never again be the same old careless, indifferent Step Hen of the past
”There comes another canoe down the river!” suddenly cried bu canoe, industriously rubbing his right shoulder as though it pained him considerably; a fact Thad noticed, and which had caused him to promise that he would take a look at the lame part when they stopped for their midday meal, very soon now
There was only one , and presently Jim Hasty remarked that he knew him
”It's sure Hen Parry, from up where I used to hold out,” he went on to say; and then called out to the approaching Maine guide, as his make-up pronounced the other to be; ”hullo, Hen, howd'ye? Glad tuh see yuh Come closer, and shake hands How's everybody up to the old place?”
The other dark-faced fellow seeripped the extended hand
”Guess ther putty well up thar, Jim; an' no need o' my askin' how ye be'n, 'cause yer lookin' prime,” he remarked; and then suddenly an expression akin to dismay flashed across his weather-beaten face, as he continued: ”By the sain ye on otter meet a party that's bound up huntin' Ye won't like to hear it, neither, I kinder guess, 'cause it's froot no use for”
”Cale Martin?” burst involuntarily from the lips of Jim Hasty, while his face turned a shade whiter under its coat of tan
”Ther sas to suit hisself up thar around the Eagle chain, an' larfin' at all ther game wardens in Aroostook county ter stop hi tuh say tuh me; an' how'd he knoas acomin' up this aways?” asked Jioin' to bring a pack o' boys along up to the Eagles; p'raps it kim in a letter he hed from somebody, I don't know jest how thet ht, Jim Sez he to me, 'Hen, ef ye happens to run acrost thet thar measly little skunk what sails by the name o' Jim Hasty, jest you tell him fur me thet if he dares to put his foot up hyar in _my_ deestrick, I'ive hiuess from the look he had on thet black face ob his'n when he says thet, Cale meant it, every blessed word And if 'twas me, I'd feel like turnin' back, to take my people another way”
Thad fixed his eyes on Jiuide took it
He realized that Jiht fear the wrath of such a forest bully as the ex-logger, and present lawless poacher Cale Martin; for he had shut his teeth hard together, and there was a grim expression on his face, as if he did not mean to knuckle under to any such base threat as that
CHAPTER III
THE MAKER OF FIRES
”How about that, Jio back, just because this feller that thinks he owns the whole north of Maine, says so?”
asked Giraffe; as really a fearless sort of lad, and could not bear to be ordered around by a bully
Ji a little ”peaked,” nor could Thad bla what a terror this Caleb Martin had been in the community for years; and how even the officers of the law had never as yet dared arrest hih there were rewards out for each one of the three men
”Nae don't turn back, if I knows it,” said Jiedly
”Bully for you, Jiht of us, all told, in the party, and I think for my part that it's a pretty howd'yedo noe can't stand up for our rights against just three cowards I call theht down to it My father says so; and I've seen it a the boys in school”
”Yes, Jih he iave his sore shoulder a wrench; ”we're going to stand by you, through thick and thin, ain't we, fellers?”
”Eight guns in the crowd!” reht to hold the fort, and then so up here, and I' your ears to a tree, Jim, this saive hilorious State of Maine We et that we're all sworn-in officers of the said State, and bound to assist any ga to do his duty, and earn his salary”
Presently the other guide said good-bye, and turning his canoe down-stream, shot aith the current; while the scouts headed up further toward the wilderness that lay around the country of the Eagle chain of lakes, close to the northern border of the State
They landed presently to have a bite at noon Thad took advantage of the opportunity to look at bumpus' shoulder As he anticipated, he found that there was quite an ugly black-and-blue bruise there, which would cause the boy considerable pain for several days; though he declared that nothing was going to keep hiun, which seemed like a toy in the hands of a child
”I'ainst your shoulder when you fired,” Thad ventured, as his opinion