is dangerous being safe just here," said Dory, when he had collected
his scattered thoughts, and realized that it was time something was
done. "I think we had better move on, or that gun will go off again."

"I don't think it will go off again," replied the man in the road, in a
very sad, rather than an alarmed or indignant tone.

"Didn't that man fire at you? Won't he do it again?" demanded Dory.

"I don't think he intended to hit me; though he fired at me, or he fired
his gun. I don't believe he fired it at me," answered the stranger in a
confused manner.

"If he fired at you, of course he meant to hit you. What in the world
should he fire at you for if he didn't mean to hit you?" asked Dory,
wondering at the reasoning of his companion in the road.

"I am confident I am right; but we won't say any thing more about it
just now," added the stranger, who seemed to be struggling with other
emotions than those of fear or indignation.

"That's very queer," said Dory, puzzled at the strange conduct of the
man who had been fired at. "I think you will get a bullet through your
head if you stay here much longer."

"I am not afraid of a bullet; but I don't think I had better stay here
any longer," replied the stranger. "Which way are you going, young man?"

"I was going over to a place they call Belzer's."

"That is a mile from here. Were you going there when that gun was
fired?" asked the man eagerly.

"Well, not just at that minute. I was tired out, and I lay down in the
woods to rest me. I was going over to Belzer's to see if I could get a
place to work. I"--

"You are too late: they hired a boy at Belzer's this afternoon," added
the man.

"That's just my luck," added Dory, discouraged at this intelligence.

"The luck shall not go against you this time. You have no errand at
Belzer's now; and, if you will walk to Plattsburgh with me, I will make
it all right with you; and you shall not be sorry that you did not find
a place at Belzer's, which is not a proper place for a boy like you."

"If there is no place there for me, and it is not the place for me, I
shall return to Plattsburgh," answered Dory, as he started with the
stranger in the direction from which he had come when he took to the
woods.

In a short time they came out into the open country; and there was no
longer any danger that the attack from the mysterious assailant would be
renewed.

"Young man, you have done me a great service; and you have do