Part 20 (1/2)

Tom Reade now raised the crowbar once more, standing where he could aim at the fellow's head. Tom was both too generous and too tender hearted to have struck a human being over the head with such an implement, even had Fits given provocation.

”Don't get up, Mr. Fits,” warned d.i.c.k, still gripping the air rifle. ”If you start to do so, it will be the signal for something to happen.”

Their nerves tense from the peril of their surroundings, the Grammar School boys, none of whom were cowards at heart, even though they were pretty young, looked positively fierce in the eyes of the prostrate foe.

”You don't any of you dare hit me,” he sneered, with an attempt at bl.u.s.ter.

”Don't we?” scowled Dave Darrin. ”Then start something--we'll do the rest.”

”Get back with that crowbar!” ordered the fellow sullenly. ”Put that air rifle down, and drop that bow and arrow.”

”Get up and make us,” advised d.i.c.k Prescott almost placidly. ”Now, Mr.

Fits, I hope you realize that we're a few too many for you. As we suggested some time ago, we're going to order you out of here--and at once. And we're not going to take any fooling, either.”

”But I can't go out,” protested the big fellow. ”Why, I'd be found frozen to death in the blizzard.”

”You won't have to go far,” d.i.c.k informed him. ”You of course know, as well as we do, that there's a little cook shack at the rear of this cabin. There's a stove there, some firewood and two barrels of coal.

Now, you're going there----”

”I won't.”

”Yes, you are,” Prescott a.s.serted. ”Unless you want us to beat you up and simply throw you outside into a snowdrift.”

”But I'm hungry,” protested Mr. Fits. ”Also, it's mighty cold lying here.”

”Stay right where you are,” d.i.c.k went on sternly. ”Hen, get this fellow's overcoat and throw it on the floor near the door.”

Dutcher obeyed, though he seemed to feel decidedly nervous about it.

”Now, Hen,” continued the young leader, ”go to the food supplies and pick out two tins of corn beef. Got 'em? Also a loaf of bread. Put the stuff on the coat.”

This was done.

”Now, Mr. Fits,” went on d.i.c.k more steadily still, ”it would be unwise for you to rise and walk to the door. We'd bother you if you did. But you can crawl over to your coat. Start!”

”What are you trying to do with me?” appealed the recent bully, in a voice that was now full of concern.

”Crawl over to your coat, and we'll tell you the rest of it. If you don't obey, promptly, we'll take the food part away. Start--crawl!”

Mr. Fits obeyed. He appeared wholly to have lost his nerve, but d.i.c.k wasn't so sure, for he ordered sharply:

”Watch out, fellows, that he doesn't play 'possum on us. We can't risk that, you know.”

Mr. Fits, however, by dint of crawling, reached his overcoat and the food.

”Throw the door open, Dave,” desired young Prescott. ”Now, Mr. Fits, rise, get your things and hustle around to the shack at the rear. Woe unto you, if you try to turn and come back into this cabin! We won't stand any more of you.”

Like one beaten, and knowing it, Fits shambled out into the storm. No one followed him to see that he reached the shack safely. Any man in good health could do far more than perform that feat.

”Shut the door and bar it, please,” chattered Dan Dalzell. ”Whew, but having that door open has made this place a cold storage plant!”