shrugged his shoulders in his knowing fashion. Probably he also
winked, though Jack failed to catch this part of the performance.

"Wan of thim do be for slippin' off, and showin' a clane pair of heels;
but the other sames to be a wicked sort. He swipes his fist jist so,"
making a furious gesture as he spoke, "and will be hanged if he goes
till he taches thim silly fools a lesson."

"Meaning us, I suppose?" Jack asked, softly.

"Nothin' else, me laddybuck. I heerd him say as how burnin' our boat
wouldn't be too harrd a job; or tyin' the both of us till the trees
here, and lavin' us to shout till we got black in the face. Ugh! he's
sure a divvle, all right, is that smooth-faced young thafe of the
worrld. And I'd loike nothin' betther than to be turnin' the tables on
him, so I would."

"Well," said Jack, quietly, "perhaps you may, Jimmie."

Jack Stormways was ordinarily a peaceful lad. All his schoolmates were
agreed on that score. And yet once he felt that he had been unjustly
treated he would fight at the drop of the hat.

They had done nothing to injure these two young rascals; and if let
alone the chances were Jack would never have gone out of his way to
inform the public officials as to what he knew about the robbers of the
Waverly bank.

But when he heard that they were planning to do him and his comrade an
ugly turn, something within seemed to rise up in rebellion. If they
wanted war to the knife they could have it.

"Whirra, now, an' do ye mean that, Jack, darlint?" demanded Jimmie.

"Of course we could escape by going out of this in the night. But I
object to running a dangerous river in the dark; and I also don't like
the idea of being chased out of a comfortable berth. So I'm going to
stick here a while longer; and try to give the other side a little
surprise, if so be they come across lots to bother us."

"That's the kind of talk, Jack," Jimmie whispered, excitedly.
"Americans should niver turn their backs on the foe. I'm riddy to back
ye up in annything ye say. Do ye want me to lade the way to where they
sit clost by the wather where the other boat swims?"

"Not at all," replied Jack. "If there's any aggressive movement made,
it's got to come from their side, not ours. Millions for defense, not
one cent for tribute, you know, Jimmie. Now watch me get busy."

The Irish boy was filled with the most intense curiosity. For the life
of him he could not give the faintest guess as to wha