Jack and His Seven Foes — page 121: what you’re looking at

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112 JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. —_——— aaa “ Jerek never turns his back on good wittles,’’ said the old man. ‘“So he'll be alone,” said Slideaway, junior, with glee, ‘ and if they can’t settle him then, he’s got somebody with horns and a tail at his back.” An hour later, this promising young man was sneaking down Maple Moun- tain, casting > backward glances as he were and net losing sight of the door ot J ow Grittle’s house until it could no longer be seen. _ “All right,” he muttered, “but I suspected as he would be out afore this.”’ He plunged into a copse at the foot of the mountain, a little out of the beaten track, and went boldly forward until he reached the plain. There Makepeace Jibber, crouching behind a huge stone, was awaiting him. “You are a little late, he said. “Couldn’t come afore,’ said Slide- away, junior, “‘as | wanted everything to be complete afore we started. It’s all arranged.” “ Everything ?” “Yes, everything. Daddy got the stuff to liven them chaps, and as soon as they are off, I’ll come out and jine you.’ ‘““And we can come along as soon as t’s dark ?”’ I) young man, “Surely. He’s in the house near the three big maples. Old Jerek took the best pigs when he came to this market.”’ “But there are others beside your- selves in the drum?’”’ said Makepeace Jibber. ‘“ About a score men, away, Junior. “Wal, how do they stand with this etarnal enemy of ours?” asked Jibber, fixing a penetrating look on his com- panion’s face. ‘No way—neither for nor against,” rephed Slideaway, junior; “they will all be indoors, and most of ’em in bed. We are an airly people.” “But if there's a rumpus? then ?”’ asked Jibber. ‘Swear that you’ve got authority to take him, and they’ll cave in.” “There must be no miss about it this time,” said Makepeace Jibber, ‘ or 99 replied Slide- How - known, the Bowie Boys will rile up against me.’ “Ts that so?” said Shdeaway. “It is; they don’t take kindly to the business. There ain’t neither pleasure nor profit in it, they says. They are dead ag’in useless risk.” “Tt’s a fool’s game, assented Slide- away, Junior. “And that chap who got his money back—he’s still with you, of course,’ said Makepeace Jibber. He referred to Daniel Smollet, and Slideaway, junior, thought it prudent to conceal the truth. ‘‘T left him up yonder,” he said, giving his head a backward jerk. “Tt riled us frightful,” said Jibber, “to be robbed of our hard-earned money. Our business is risky, and it ought to be well paid for.”’ “So it ought,’ “so it ought.” ‘‘ Already the Bowie Boysare getting and they’ve numbered and priced us,” said Jibber. “You don’t say so,” said Slideaway, junior, ‘‘and the price is good, I’ll bet.” ‘“There’s four thousand dollars on us as a body, and two hundred for every man. It’s not a bad price, but we ll run, said Slideaway, junior, it up higher, by-and- by.” “Tl bet you will,” said young Slide- away, with a nod that was full of mean- ing. ‘ Wal, I must return to see how things are going on. Youll come ? ”’ ‘Never fear us,’ said Jibber, savagely. ‘I’m sweet on putting an end to that young beggar. As for the others, [ sen you to finish them off.” “What am I to do?” asked young Shdeaway, faintly. “You've got a bowie. When they are hocucscan use it. Here’s the safest place,” and Jibber, with a wink, passed a finger across his throat. Young Slideaway shuddered. He had not reckoned on this, having, in his mental arrangements, apportioned. all the murderous “work to the Bowie Boys. ‘ Must it be done ?” he asked. ‘“‘Tt’s the only way to secure safety,” was the answer. Young Sldeaway went up the mountain less buoyant than he came down. Matters did not look quite so rosy. (EO) IOOKSAGO ULC cS (Ales