Surely you wouldn't shoot a harmless orphan
like me." Saying which the young engineer, having found a path down
the cliff nearby, started slowly to descend.
"Get back there! Another step, and I'll put a ball through you!"
roared the man who had Reade covered with his rifle.
"That wouldn't prove anything but your marksmanship," Suggested Tom,
and coolly continued to descend.
"Going to get back?" howled the man behind the gun.
Without further answer Reade quickened his pace somewhat, reaching
the flat bottom of the gully on a run.
Though he felt that the chances were eight out of ten that he would
be shot at any second, Tom didn't betray any outward fear. The
truth was that even if he wanted to stop, he would have found it
somewhat difficult on that steep incline.
Where he landed, on his feet, Tom stood between the hostile parties.
Had hostilities opened at that moment he would have been in a bad
position between the two fires.
"Great Scott!" gasped the frightened Alf, peering down.
Pages:
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38