hard together, and there
was a grim expression on his face, as if he did not mean to knuckle
under to any such base threat as that.

CHAPTER III.

THE MAKER OF FIRES.

"How about that, Jim; must we turn around, and go back, just because
this feller that thinks he owns the whole north of Maine, says so?"
asked Giraffe; who was really a fearless sort of lad, and could not bear
to be ordered around by a bully.

Jim was looking a little "peaked," nor could Thad blame him, after
hearing what a terror this Caleb Martin had been in the community for
years; and how even the officers of the law had never as yet dared
arrest him, even though there were rewards out for each one of the three
men.

"Naw, we don't turn back, if I knows it," said Jim, doggedly.

"Bully for you, Jim!" exclaimed Step Hen, eagerly. "There's eight of us,
all told, in the party, and I think for my part that it's a pretty
howd'yedo now if we can't stand up for our rights against just three
cowards. I call them that because all bullies are, when you come right
down to it. My father says so; and I've seen it among the boys in
school."

"Yes, Jim," remarked Bumpus, with a grand air, though he immediately
made a grimace, as a quick movement gave his sore shoulder a wrench;
"we're going to stand by you, through thick and thin, ain't we,
fellers?"

"Eight guns in the crowd!" remarked Davy Jones with an air of
confidence. "Sure we ought to hold the fort, and then some, if deadly
weapons count for anything up here, and I'm told they do. P'raps,
instead of pinning your ears to a tree, Jim, this same Mister Cale'll
consent to walk back with us, and give himself up to a game warden of
the great and glorious State of Maine. We mustn't forget that we're all
sworn-in officers of the said State, and bound to assist any game warden
who is trying to do his duty, and earn his salary."

Presently the other guide said good-bye, and turning his canoe
down-stream, shot away with the current; while the scouts headed up
further toward the wilderness that lay around the country of the Eagle
chain of lakes, close to the northern border of the State.

They landed presently to have a bite at noon. Thad took advantage of the
opportunity to look at Bumpus' shoulder. As he anticipated, he found
that there was quite an ugly black-and-blue bruise there, which would
cause the boy considerable pain for several days; though he declared
that nothing was going to keep him