e.
Bud broke into a laugh.

"Oh, you're goin' to? Mebbe you think you need an axe," said he.

They made no offer to tie me up then. Bud went to the door and sat in
it, and I heard him half whisper to Buell: "What 'd I tell you? Thet's
a game kid. If he ever wakes up right we'll have a wildcat on our hands.
He'll do fer one of us yet." These men all took pleasure in saying
things like this to Buell. This time Buell had no answer ready, and sat
nursing his head. "Wal, I hev a little headache myself, an' the crack I
got wasn't nothin' to yourn," concluded Bud. Then Bill began packing the
supplies indoors, and Herky started a fire. Bud kept a sharp eye on me;
still, he made no objection when I walked over and lay down upon the
blankets near Dick.

"Dick, I shot a bear and helped to tie up a cub," I said. And then I
told him all that had happened from the time I scrambled out of the
spring-hole till I was discovered up in the loft. Dick shook his head,
as if he did not know what to make of me, and all he said was that he
would give a year's pay to have me safe back in Pennsylvania.

Herky-Jerky announced supper in his usual manner--a challenge to find
as good a cook as he was, and a cheerful call to "grub." I did not
know what to think of his kindness to me. Remembering how he had nearly
drowned me in the spring, I resented his sudden change. He could not do
enough for me. I asked the reason for my sudden popularity.

Herky scratched his head and grinned. "Yep, kid, you sure hev riz in my
estimashun."

"Hey, you rummy cow-puncher," broke in Bud, scornfully. "Mebbe you'd
like the kid more'n you do if you'd got one of them wollops."

"Bud, I ain't sayin'," replied Herky, with his mouth full of meat.
"Considerin' all points, howsoever, I'm thinkin' them wallops was
distributed very proper."

They bandied such talk between them, and occasionally Bill chimed
in with a joke. Greaser ate in morose silence. There must have been
something on his mind. Buell took very little dinner, and appeared to be
in pain. It was dark when the meal ended. Bud bound me up for the night,
and he made a good job of it. My arm burned and throbbed, but not badly
enough to prevent sleep. Twice I had nearly dropped off when loud laughs
or voices roused me. My eyes closed with a picture of those rough, dark
men sitting before the fire.

A noise like muffled thunder burst into my slumber. I awakened with my
body cramped and stiff. It was daylight