"Well, supper's ready, so sit around here, boys. Excuse me if I help our unexpected company first," observed Jerry, heaping a pannikin with some stew, and placing several slices of toast, already b.u.t.tered, on top of this, after which he pa.s.sed it along to the bound boy.

It was pleasure enough just to watch the look on his pinched face as he started to devour the appetizing food with the rapacity of a half-starved wolf.

"Bluff, get your gun and keep it across your knees. Sometimes kettles have a strange habit of vanishing just when you are expecting to enjoy the contents. This seems to be a bewitched country in that respect.

Sticks poke out from behind tree trunks and spear your loaf of bread right before your eyes. We don't want to have those sort of tricks played on us any more, if we can help it, you know."

"Right you are, governor," said Bluff, only too glad to be appointed guardian of the feast by Frank; and the way in which he dragged his firearm toward him was satisfactory evidence that he would be faithful to his trust.

But there was no interruption to the feast. The boy ate until he astonished his hosts by his capacity for holding food. Finally all were satisfied, and they sat around the fire to consider what should be done in the matter.

"The sight of those welts is enough for me," said Jerry, "and I'm going to make my dad promise to befriend the poor chap. He never had any use for that red-faced Cal Dobson, anyway. Once they had a lawsuit over something, and the farmer got the better of it, I'm sorry to say, so I reckon dad'll be glad of a chance to turn the tables on the old fellow and show him up."

"And I'll influence my father to see that Jed is placed in a home where they'll be kinder to him. A boy is only a slave with that big bully. I saw him once, and he was threatening a parcel of little town girls from the factory section. Perhaps they had been annoying him by stealing fruit, or something like that, but he was talking to them like they were the worst criminals," declared Frank.

"He always swore he would be the death of me if I didn't move faster. I was so weak I just couldn't. And then I run away three days ago," said the boy.

"Say, wouldn't I like to see the old fellow just now! He must be as mad as a hornet," laughed Will.

The boy shuddered.

"Oh! I hope he won't come here till I'm gone," he said, his face taking on its old expression of abject fear.

Frank did not like to see him give way after this manner. At the same time he knew that the lad had been browbeaten all his young life, and what little spirit he may have inherited must have been about crushed.

"You must have faith in us, Jed. I give you my word that if he appeared right now we would not let him take you away," he said.

"No," declared Bluff. "He could threaten and bl.u.s.ter all he wanted, so long as I had my eye on him along this trusty barrel he wouldn't dare."

"Listen! I thought I heard voices!" said Will just then.

They all remained silent, to make sure. The fugitive bound boy cowered lower in his seat. His terror-filled eyes glanced to the right and left, as though he contemplated immediate flight.

Frank put out his hand rea.s.suringly.

"Don't you move. Trust us, Jed," he said quietly.

"But it's _him_--oh! I heard him speak! Don't I know his voice? Haven't I waked up many a time, thinking I heard it in my dreams? And nearly always he swears at me, and cuts me with that whip! Don't you think it would be better if I hid?" he asked, his confidence not quite so strong as it had been a while back.

"Don't move. I give you my word that he isn't going to take you back, and that we won't let him even put his finger on you, Jed. Do you believe me?"

The poor waif looked into the determined face of Frank. What he saw there seemed to give him a new lease of faith, for he did not make any further effort at flight.

Nearer came the gruff voices.

"Perhaps you other fellows had better get ready to repel boarders,"

remarked Frank, as he too, reached out and secured his shotgun.

Jerry did likewise, while Will picked up his camera and hied him away to a spot where he thought he might secure a flashlight picture of the scene.

And hardly had the stage been set after this fashion than two rough-looking men showed up on the edge of the camp, standing there while they looked the group over.

CHAPTER VI

FARMER DOBSON CHANGES HIS MIND

"You were right, Jason; he's here," growled one voice.

"And our hunt is at an end," came in another.

The two men advanced a few paces. Frank recognized the leader as the same Farmer Dobson whom he had once seen scolding a group of little girls in a most bearish manner. He was a big man, with a face that was almost as red as the bandana handkerchief he wore fastened about his neck.

Cal Dobson kept his glittering eyes fastened on the shrinking form of Jed, as he thus advanced closer to the fire.

"So you're here, youngster, be ye? Give us a great chase, you did, but I reckon ye understand by now that when Cal Dobson says a thing he sticks by it. My best bull broke away and took to the hills at the same time you did. Things always happen in bunches. Git up and come along home,"

he said in his terrible voice.

The boy looked at Frank with his heart in his eyes.

"Sit still, Jed," said that lad easily.

At this the farmer turned his eyes upon the speaker. Men had trembled at that look, and he evidently thought to convince Frank that it would be the greatest blunder of his life if he dared stand in the way of his will.

"What's that?" he exclaimed, frowning blackly.

"I told the boy to sit still," repeated Frank.

The man with the farmer gave a gasp, as though he found it difficult to believe his ears. That any one should dare disagree with Cal Dobson surprised him, and to hear a mere stripling do so made him rub his eyes in doubt.

"That boy is bound out to me for a term of years. He ran away from a good home. I hev been hunting a long time for him. Now that I've found the critter he is going back with me. The law is behind me in all that I do. Look you out how you put up a hand to interfere, boy."

"That is true, and I think the law will soon catch up with you, Mr.

Dobson. You speak of a good home; this boy says that you are a tyrant, and that you beat him unmercifully," went on Frank, undaunted.

"He lies, the little pup! the ungrateful kid!" snapped the farmer, taking a step toward the object of his anger.

"I don't believe it. He has shown us the proof. His back is marked by welts, and they could only have come from the lash of a whip."

"Whatever he got he deserved ten times over. He was obstinate, and sa.s.sy to his legal guardian. The law allows a father to punish his child; it lets a man treat a bound boy just the same as if he was his own boy. I want to make a man out of Jed. I believe in the old injunction, 'Spare the rod and spoil the child.' Now, enough of this. Air you comin' along with me, Jed?"

He took another step toward the boy. Again the latter shrank closer to Frank.

"Stop just where you are, Mr. Dobson! This is my camp. You were not invited here. We have a right to defend our property, and we intend to do it, I give you my word. Take another step forward, and you do it at your peril, sir!"

Dobson looked at the determined mien of the speaker. Then his uneasy eyes roved around, and he saw two other guns half raised in a threatening manner.