"Not "less yer kin walk on ther water."
"It"s hard luck," declared Frank. "I did not believe they would be able to slip us."
"What did yer want uv "em?" asked the big man, his curiosity getting the better of his anger.
Frank dismounted.
"Might as well get off and give the horses a breathing spell, Bart," he said. "They are blowed."
"But the party pursuing us--what of them?"
"Let them come."
"Are you going to give up thus easily?"
"No; but I am not going to run like a criminal. Why should I? Let them come."
"You do not mean to fight?"
"Not if a regular officer attempts my arrest."
"What they goin" ter arrest yer fer, youngster?" asked the man, becoming still more curious. "Hev yer bin stealin" hawses?"
"No."
"Wa-al, yer needn"t tell ef yer don"t want ter!" resentfully said the giant. "I don"t keer."
"I will tell you the whole story," said Frank. "When you have heard it you may be able to advise us about continuing the pursuit."
Bart dismounted, and the boys sat down on the ground. The man took a seat near at hand, and brought forth a cob pipe, which he leisurely filled and lighted. He was brawny, weather-tanned, and healthy in appearance. He did not look like a person who had ever seen an hour of illness.
"Fire away, youngster," he urged. "Somehow, I kinder take ter you.
You"ve got an honest face on yer, burn me ef yer hain"t!"
Frank expressed thanks for the compliment, and then, as concisely and plainly as possible, he told of his experiences since meeting the girl on the train.
The big man listened closely, his interest growing each minute. When the boy had finished, the man slapped his thigh and cried:
"Brand me deep ef I don"t reckon ye"ve guv it ter me fair an" squar! I know somethin" about this yar gang uv queer-makers."
"You do?"
Both lads e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the words.
"You bet!"
"What do you know?"
"I hev heard ez how they has a young gal who is queen uv ther band, an"
she shoves ther queer on ther market fer them."
"Is that all?" asked Frank, with a trace of disappointment.
"Hold yer critters!" advised the big man, with a lazy wave of one hand.
"Don"t git too oneasy. I said I know something erbout "em. What I told yer wuz what I had heard."
"Well, tell us what you know."
"See them mountains over thar, beyond ther lake, right whar I"m p"intin"?"
"Yes."
"Purty wild place over thar."
"Well?"
"Thet"s whar ther den uv them thar counterfeiters is."
Frank clutched the man"s arm, his face full of eagerness.
"How do you know?"
"I hev bin over thar."
"What did you discover?"
"Say, I don"t keer ter mix in no rows, an" so I ain"t troubled myself ter inform on "em."
"But you will tell us what you discovered? We will pay----"
"Pay be derned! I tell yer I don"t keer a hoot erbout money. Ef I git enough ter buy some terbacker an" clothes, an" sech provisions ez I want, thet"s all I ask. I don"t keer how much bad money is in circulation, an" thet"s why I ain"t meddled with them critters. Ef I blowed, they might take a notion ter call on me, some time, an" make it derned onpleasant fer me."
The hopes of the boys dwindled.
"But think what it may mean to me--my liberty, honor, everything!"
cried Frank. "You must understand the situation in which I am placed."
"I do. Ef them critters hedn"t run off with my boat, I might hev kept my mouth shet; but now, burn me deep, ef I don"t git squar!"
The hopes of the lads rose again.
"I"ll tell yer whut I found over thar," the big man went on, slowly. "I found ther place whar ther queer-makers hang out."
"You did?" fluttered both lads.
"Thet"s whatever. Thar"s a hidden cabin on a cliff, an" thet thar is their headquarters."
"Will you guide us there?"