e struggle with the tramp.

Looking quickly around, he observed that the door of the shanty was
open, hanging by one hinge.

The hut might serve as a place of refuge until some of the section
hands should come that way and he leaped into the building.

Wrenching the door from its fastening, he pulled it inside, and set it
up lengthwise as a sort of a barrier.

"They'll have to come within reach of this cane before getting at me,
an' it'll be hard luck if I don't give a good account of myself for a
little while," he said, as with compressed lips, he waited for the
battle which he knew must soon begin.

CHAPTER VI

THE BATTLE

The two tramps who were coming down the track halted on reaching the
one who had attacked Jet, and all had a brief conversation, which
evidently concerned the occupant of the shanty.

Jet watched every movement, but while they were talking he had an
opportunity to gaze around the hut in the hope of seeing other means of
defense.

It was empty, with the exception of a pile of straw in one corner,
which most likely had served as a bed for these or other tramps.

"There's nothing for it but to stand up here as long as possible, and
perhaps somebody will come along before they can get the best of me,"
he said grimly. "If things are going on at this rate, it would have
been better for me if I'd stayed with the show, for this isn't doin'
very much toward findin' the murderers."

The men had finished their conversation, and were now approaching the
shanty.

Jet raised the heavy cane, and stood ready for the battle.

It was not to begin as quickly as he thought, for the three men halted
a few yards away, and one of them said, in a wheedling tone, as he
stepped several paces nearer:

"See here, sonny, we're poor, hard-workin' carpenters out of a job.
There's no need of havin' trouble with you; but we're that hungry as to
make a fight seem pleasant alongside of suckin' our thumbs an' eatin'
wind-puddin' all the time."

"What do you mean by all that?"

"Nothin' more'n to let you know how we're fixed."

"It doesn't concern me."

"There's where you're makin' a big mistake, sonny. You've got money
an' we're broke, so it's nothin' more'n fair you should whack up."

"I'm no better off than you are, or I wouldn't be walking instead of
riding on the cars."

"Then come out like a man an' show us what you have got."

"I'd be a fool to do that, for it's none of your business."

"Now