Part 27 (1/2)

To this there was general a.s.sent, the three men and the two boys moving at once toward the sleeping-loft, followed slowly by the negro.

”Good night,” called out Buck, his tone quite friendly.

But no response came from the four slackers who, standing in their tracks, watched the departing ”deserters” with hostile eyes.

As the three men and the boys were climbing the ladder, July quietly disappeared. Stealing into the bushes bent double, he skirted the clearing, treading very softly. Five minutes later he lay in the brush within earshot of the four slackers who still stood in consultation.

XXIII

Ted went to bed a very happy boy, seeing nothing but the wonderful achievement of his fond dream. Hubert alone noted that the three men put their guns within reach of their hands when they lay down, and he alone heard Al Peters whisper:

”What if them fellows want to make trouble?”

The boy was glad to hear Buck answer: ”Oh, shucks, there ain't s.p.u.n.k enough in _that_ bunch.”

Some two hours later Buck saw reason to modify this contemptuous opinion, for July brought startling news. Climbing up into the sleeping-loft very quietly, the negro bent down over Peters, Jones and Hardy in turn, shaking each until a.s.sured that each was fully awake.

Each grumbled sleepily, protesting and questioning. Not until all three stood up and peered at him in the dim light did July fully explain.

”Sorry to 'sturb you gen'l'mens,” he apologized, ”but it ain't safe to stay sleep in dis place to-night. I's scared dem mens out dere is fixin' to burn it down on you.”

”What in the d.i.c.kens made you wake us up to tell such a fool tale as that?” demanded Buck skeptically.

”I tellin' you de trufe,” insisted July in an injured tone. ”I was lookin' an' listenin' when Mr. James shook his fist at dis place an'

says: 'Less burn 'em up--dat's de quick an' sure way.' Dem's his very words. I slipped up on 'em an' watched an' listened.”

Peters and Jones looked at each other and then at Buck.

”Zack James is a fool anyhow and now that he's mad, his brains is plumb addled,” said Buck in a disgusted tone. ”Nothin' but talk. Jenkins wouldn't stand for it.”

”Well, you better believe dem mens is gittin' ready to fight,” insisted July. ”Dey's tuck all de provisions an' put 'em wid dey guns behind a bunch o' permeters close by de big pine--you know de big pine--and dey got another fire built down dere. And dey's tuck all de boats an' hid 'em. I sneaked round an' watched 'em while dey was doin' it all.”

This was serious. Buck made no further protest when Peters said:

”Boys, we'd better look out for ourselves.”

”Dey's 'spectin' a fight,” said July. ”When I fust crawled up to listen Mr. Thatcher was a-sayin': 'If we got to be shot, we mought as well be shot right yuh in de swamp widout waitin' for de Gov'ment to do it.'”

”And what did Jenkins say?” asked Buck.

”I couldn't make out, but I think fum de signs dat he argued an' argued an' den give in to Mr. James an' them.”

”Anyhow he won't let that fool James burn this place down on us.”

”We'd better move out, though, and do it quick,” said Jones. ”Zack James may be drunk. I smelt whisky on him to-day.”

”We've got four guns,” remarked Peters.

An immediate move being agreed on, the boys were wakened. The guns and blankets were divided between the three white men, who also secured a few personal belongings which they kept in the sleeping-loft. The negro was told to give the boys any tins of salmon or sardines that he could find and to shoulder as large a load of raked up moss as he could carry, after dropping it through the opening in the floor.