Part 10 (1/2)
”Well, I guess you hit it,” said Hal. ”There it is, right where he dropped it. But his bullet whistled pretty close to my ear.”
”I suppose I shouldn't have taken a chance,” said Chester. ”Next time I'll shoot to hit something better than a pistol.”
”Well, it doesn't make any difference now,” said Hal. ”He didn't get me.
I wonder who he is and what he wanted to shoot me for?”
”You've got me, look at the gun and see if there is any mark of identification on it.”
Hal stooped over and picked up the revolver. He examined it carefully and then pa.s.sed it to Chester.
”Can't find anything,” he said.
Chester examined the weapon with no better success.
”Well,” he said at last, slowly, ”there is one thing certain. You've an enemy of some kind in the camp. It will behoove you to be careful in the future.”
”I suppose the bullet was meant for me,” said Hal, ”although, of course it might have been meant for either you or Stubbs.”
”Great Scott! What would anybody want to shoot Stubbs for?”
”Well, you can search me,” said Hal with a shrug of his shoulders, ”which may not be very good English, but expresses my sentiments just the same.”
”How about Stubbs' conspiracy? Maybe one of the conspirators has caught Stubbs nosing about.”
”By Jove! It might be that, after all,” said Hal. ”I wonder!”
”At all events, we shall all have to be on our guard,” declared Chester. ”We don't know for which of us the bullet was meant. We'll have to warn Stubbs.”
”So we shall, and if I mistake not here he comes now.”
Hal was right. A moment later the rotund face of the little war correspondent appeared in the tent entrance.
”Stubbs,” said Hal gravely, ”you missed getting killed by just about five minutes.”
The little man started back in alarm.
”Wha--what's that?” he demanded.
”I said you just escaped getting killed.”
”But who would want to kill me?” demanded Stubbs, plainly very nervous.
”It might have been one of your conspirators,” said Hal. He displayed the weapon from which a bullet had sped toward his own head.
”Hey!” shouted Stubbs. ”Put that gun down! Don't shoot!”
The little man was so visibly frightened that Hal looked at him in surprise.
”Surely you didn't think I was going to shoot you, Mr. Stubbs?” he asked in some surprise.