How lucky for me to
fall in with him! The things that had puzzled me about the pines he
answered easily. Then he volunteered information. From talking of the
forest, he drifted to the lumbermen.
"Wal, the lumber-sharks are rippin' holes in Penetier. I reckon they
wouldn't stop at nothin'. I've heered some tough stories about thet sawmill
gang. I ain't acquainted with Leslie, or any of them fellers you named
except Jim Williams. I knowed Jim. He was in Springer fer a while. If Jim's
your friend, there'll be somethin' happenin, when he rounds up them
kidnappers. I reckon you'd better hang up with me fer a while. You don't
want to get ketched again. Your life wasn't much to them fellers. I think
they'd held on to you fer money. It's too bad you didn't send word home to
your people."
"I sent word home about the big steal of timber. That was before I got
kidnapped. By this time the Government knows."
"Wal, you don't say! Thet was pert of you, youngster. An' will the
Government round up these sharks?"
"Indeed it will. The Government is in dead earnest about protecting the
National Forests."
"So it ought to be. Next to a forest fire, I hate these skinned timber
tracts. Wal, old Penetier's going to see somethin' lively before long.
Youngster, them lumbermen--leastways, them fellers you call Bud an' Bill,
an' such--they're goin' to fight.
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