Part 18 (1/2)

Billie went forward another pace, and reaching out his hand picked the whole affair up. How glad he was now that he had leaned his rifle against the outside wall of the house before venturing in through the window.

He turned to retrace his steps. Just then he thought he heard a suspicious little sound like a gasp behind him; and it seemed as though a cold hand gripped his heart.

If he had any doubts concerning what it signified they were dissipated even before he could think to twist his head around; for Uncle Fred suddenly called out in a shrill voice that was full of anxiety and excitement:

”Run for it, Billie; she's coming after you!”

Billie did not wait upon the order of his going. He seemed to be placed in connection with a galvanic battery, to judge by the way he sprang forward, thrust the belt into the outstretched hand of Mr. Comstock, and then took a header right through the open window.

CHAPTER XXI.

MR. THOMAS IS AMUSED.

With all his clumsiness Billie had always seemed to be a lucky fellow.

In times gone by his chums had often informed him that he must bear a charmed life; because when so stubbornly trying to break in that wild broncho Jupiter, the fat boy had taken many a header that threatened to do him serious injury; but had always ”come up smiling” after each experience, and ready to try it again.

And apparently his good fortune still held good, for when he took that flying leap through the open window of the ranch house, he did not have the remotest idea where he would land, and yet he managed to strike in a soft place.

It had been a very narrow escape, though; for hardly had the fat boy pa.s.sed through the opening than it was occupied by the figure of Mrs.

Comstock, with both her hands eagerly outstretched, showing that she had antic.i.p.ated seizing hold of the intruder.

When he landed Billie purposely rolled over several times. He seemed to have a dreadful fear lest the Amazon follow him through the window; just as a pursuing boy might have done.

Having turned over completely several times he managed to sit up so as to take notice of the situation, and get his bearings.

The first thing he saw was the head of Mr. Thomas thrust around the end of the nearby bunk house; and it was strange that Billie just happened to notice how cautiously the pilgrim of the trail was peeping, as though he would not be seen for worlds; there was a look of intense interest on his thin face, too, as if he felt a personal interest in the wild flight of the lad.

Next Billie saw Uncle Fred. He was trying to buckle the recovered belt around his waist, and making a poor job of it, because his fingers were trembling with the excitement; and besides, he felt it necessary to keep one eye fastened on that window, in which the form of his muscular better-half could be seen outlined.

Billie also noted with solid satisfaction that the woman did not seem to be making any move in his direction. She must have recognized the fact that her expected prey had eluded her grasp, and was satisfied to let things go at that.

But she was waving her fist in his direction, Billie noted; and his heart beat with thanksgiving that he had been so fortunate as to avoid feeling the weight of that hand.

”What do you mean acrawling in through the back windows of this house, you fat cub?” she called out at him.

Perhaps Billie had long ago become so accustomed to having all manner of fun poked at him by his boy friends, on account of his ponderous size that he had ceased to get angry at any sort of nickname.

Still, that was ”a new one on him,” he afterwards declared, and it rather rankled to be called a ”fat cub.”

Billie was always polite, especially with the other s.e.x; and so he managed to scramble to his feet, rather awkwardly to be sure, for he had skinned his left knee in landing after that wild plunge; and trying to make a sort of half-way sort of bow, he said:

”I beg your pardon ma'm, but I was acting under orders from the boss. He wanted his gun so's to be ready to fight the rustlers if they came along, and asked me to get the same for him; so I clumb in through the window, because he said that was the shortest way around. And when you came so sudden-like on me, why, I just got rattled some, I s'pose, and took a jump through the window. But no damage was done 'cept that I knocked a piece of skin off my left knee 'bout as big as my hand, feels like. Sorry to have bothered you, ma'm, but I tried not to make any noise, sure I did.”

”Yes, you crept in just like a thief, and I reckon that's what line you follow when you're to home,” the angry woman flung at him, accompanying each word with a furious shake of her hand, which seemed disappointed not to have been able to bury itself among Billie's hair.

”It was all my fault, Josie,” remarked Mr. Comstock just then, possibly ashamed to let the boy bear the brunt of her displeasure; ”I wanted my belt very much; and you seemed to be having one of your headaches, so I thought I wouldn't pa.s.s in through your room and disturb you. I asked him to just crawl through the window and reach my belt, which he succeeded in doing. It's all right, Josie!”

”Oh! you think so, do you, Mr. Fred Comstock?” she cried shrilly, and with her blazing eyes turned toward her husband. ”Shows what sort of a coward you are, sir, to employ a silly fool of a boy to pull your chestnuts out of the fire for you!”