He sat near the
fire smoking a cigarette. Near him were several men, one of whom was Bill.
Facing them sat a man with his back to a small sapling. He was tied with a
lasso.
One glance at his white face made me drop behind the tree, where I lay
stunned and bewildered--for that man was Dick Leslie.
VIII. THE LUMBERMEN
For a full moment I just lay still, hugging the ground, and I did not seem
to think at all. Voices loud in anger roused me. Raising myself, I
guardedly looked from behind the tree.
One of the lumbermen threw brush on the fire, making it blaze brightly. He
was tall and had a red beard. I recognized Stockton, Buell's right hand in
the lumber deal.
"Leslie, you're a liar!" he said.
Dick's eyes glinted from his pale face.
"Yes, that's your speed, Stockton," he retorted. "You bring your thugs into
my camp pretending to be friendly. You grab a fellow behind his back, tie
him up, and then call him a liar. Wait, you timber shark!"
"You're lying about that kid, Ward," declared the other. "You sent him back
East, that's what. He'll have the whole forest service down here. Buell
will be wild. Oh, he won't do a thing when he learns Ward has given us the
slip!"
"I tell you, Ken Ward gave me the slip," replied Dick. "I'll admit I meant
to see him safe in Holston.
Pages:
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86