Part 100 (2/2)
”I do not wish it, boy,” he replied sternly. ”Do you wish to leave those who have been your friends in the lurch now you have dragged all this trouble to their door?”
”No, sir,” I said, as I set my teeth hard, determined to be cool, in spite of the injustice with which I felt that I was being treated.
”No, of course not. You have some stubborn pluck in you--both of you.”
Esau growled in a very low tone, and made his mother look at him in a startled way, as if she had suddenly awakened to the fact that her son possessed the nature of a bear's cub.
Mr Raydon took another turn or two up and down the room.
”Mrs Dean,” he said, ”I can do nothing more for your patient. No doctor could; time is the only thing. I'll come back as soon as I can.
Meantime my sister will come to you, and you can have either of my men's wives to a.s.sist you in nursing. They are Indians, but well trained in that way. Do your best.”
”Mother always does,” growled Esau.
Mr Raydon gave him a sharp look, but Esau did not flinch.
”Look here, you two,” said Mr Raydon, after a pause. ”I am going to send two more of my men away, for the fellows in that gang are not going to beat me. The law-and-order party must and shall prevail. This will weaken my little garrison, so you two will have to mount rifles, and take the places of two of my absent men.”
”Yes, sir,” I said, eagerly. ”I'll do my best.”
”Thank you. Now, Esau Dean, what do you say?”
”Course I shall do as he does. I'm ready.”
”No, no, Esau, my boy. Your feet, your feet,” cried Mrs Dean.
”Do be quiet, mother. There you go with the spoon again. Fellow don't shoot off a rifle with his foot.”
I saw Mr Raydon bite his lips to repress a smile.
”I had forgotten your burnt feet. Do they feel very bad?”
”Oh, pretty tidy, sir, but I don't mind. I should like to have a pop at one of them as held me to that fire.”
”Naturally,” said Mr Raydon.
”But I'm afraid I can't do much marching.”
”You will be posted in one of the block-houses.”
”That'll do,” cried Esau. ”Come along, Mayne Gordon.”
”You have never used a rifle.”
”Why, Mr Gunson there showed us all about it. Don't you be afraid; I'll try.”
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