They seemed to be pursuing the hunt in a scientific manner, by walking back and forth over a certain area, gradually verging to the right, which was where Jim was crouching.
The boy succeeded in creeping a dozen feet, perhaps, without drawing attention to himself, when he was brought to a standstill by coming squarely against a fence, whose rails were too close together to allow his body to pa.s.s through.
Jim was in an agony of fear, for the two were steadily drawing near him.
When he was in despair there came the flutter of a bird in precisely the opposite direction, and the suspicion of the sailors immediately turned thitherward.
This was Jim"s golden opportunity, and he was over the obstruction in a twinkling. But the fates seemed against him. Just as he left the top rail, it broke with a loud crash; and, feeling that everything now depended on his fleetness, he made his legs do their duty. Once over the fence, the fugitive found he was in the broad, open highway, along which he darted like a lad whose life was at stake.
As there was a light gleaming only a short way ahead, his enemies must have seen that it was hardly a safe thing to pursue their evil intent any farther.
Dreading they would not stop, Jim kept up his headlong flight, dashing through the open gate, without a pause for dogs, and giving so resounding a knock on the door that the old farmer instantly appeared, wondering what in the name of the seven wonders could be the matter.
"Can I stay here over night?" asked Jim, panting with terror; "a couple of bad men are after me."
"Yes, certainly, my boy; come in. I"ve one patient now, but you are welcome. My other boy is well enough to sit up."
Looking across the room, the astounded Jim saw his old friend, Tom Gordon, sitting in an easy-chair, with one leg bandaged, as though suffering from a hurt.
Chapter XVII.
The meeting between Tom Gordon and Jim Travers was one of the most joyous character.
As soon as the fugitive recognized his old friend, he uttered a cry of delight, and rushing forward, threw his arms around his neck, and the latter responded with a regular shout of happiness.
Then they laughed and asked and answered questions for some ten minutes, both in such a flutter of excitement, that their stock of knowledge was scarcely increased in the least.
By the time they got down to their sober senses, Jim awoke to the fact that a couple of bad men were after him, and were likely to pursue him across the threshold of the farmer"s home.
There was no one present during the affecting interview between the lads excepting the kind host, and he was so touched by the joy of his guests that he more than once drew his hand across his face in a very expressive manner.
When Jim explained his peril, telling how it was he escaped to this place, the farmer said,--
"You may bid farewell to all earthly fear while you"re here with me. The old woman is over to one of the neighbors", and there ain"t no one home but me; howsomever, I"m equal to any two."
Just then the gate was heard to shut, and the farmer stepped hurriedly to the window and looked out.
"Yes, there"s two men coming up the path."
"They"re after me," said the frightened Jim; "let me run out through the back way; I can get away from them."
"You won"t do any such thing," was the resolute reply of the old man, while he compressed his lips, and his eyes flashed resolutely.
"This is _my_ home, and the law says it is my castle; and if any man attempts to cross that threshold against my orders, on his head be the consequences."
By way of making matters consistent, he stepped briskly into the next room; and when he returned, which was in the course of three seconds, he held a loaded double-barreled gun in his grasp.
"It"s well to have something like this to sorter emphasize what you say, you know--h.e.l.lo!"
The scoundrels were at the door, and a resounding knock was heard.
"Come in," called back the old man, who stood in the room, gun in hand.
Instead of opening the door, the criminals on the outside knocked again, their evident purpose being to gain an advantage by bringing some one to them.
"Come in!"
This was uttered in a tone that could be heard a hundred yards, and those who were applying for admission could not pretend to be ignorant of such a l.u.s.ty welcome as that.
The latch was lifted, the door shoved inward, and there the two sailors stood, each with a revolver in hand, looking into the room, but neither venturing to step over the threshold.
We have stated where the farmer stood, and what his pose meant.
Tom Gordon was nearly recovered from his fractured leg, and he, too, had risen from his chair with his pistol in hand. He told Jim to get as near him--or rather behind him--as he could, and if there was to be any shooting, why, he would take a hand.
The sailors could not fail to take in the fact that the three were on their mettle, and something more than a summons was necessary to bring them to terms.
"Well, what do you want?" asked the farmer, in a voice like a growl, while he lowered upon them in the most ominous style.
"We want that boy," replied Bob, the sailor, pointing his pistol at the fellow, whose heart beat a little faster when he found himself confronted by such danger.
"Do you want to go with them?" asked the farmer of the boy.
"No; they mean to kill me; they"ve tried it already, and you can see that my clothes are still wet from jumping into the river to swim away from them."
"He belongs to us. We don"t wish to hurt him; but he must go with us. If he refuses, we shall take him, and it will be bad for you."
"It will, eh?" muttered the farmer, a peculiar click, click, where his hand grasped the gun, showing that he was c.o.c.king the weapon, so as to be ready for business. "It will, eh? Now I"ll give you just two seconds and a half to take yourselves out of my sight, and if you don"t, I"ll empty both barrels of this gun into you."
"Let me know when you"re going to shoot, Mr. Pitcairn," said Tom, also c.o.c.king his revolver, "because I want to join in."
The sailors, with some muttered imprecations, wheeled about and took themselves off, leaving the three masters of the field.
This danger removed, the boys sat down, and while the farmer went out to attend to some work about the premises, they talked coolly and sensibly over the past and future.
Tom was almost entirely recovered from the hurt to his leg, and expected to leave the house in the course of a few days.
He had written to and received a letter from his employers, notifying him that his situation was gone and there was none to give him.
So his future was as uncertain as that of Jim, who had not received a penny since leaving home the winter before, and who had not the remotest idea as to what he should do.
Jim had a small sum of money with him, and his other clothes were still preserved by his friend.
As Tom was the owner of some extra garments, these were donned by the fellow who had received such a ducking; and, as the room was pleasantly warm, he experienced no inconvenience from his bath.