tching the dying out of the
fire which had cooked their supper, another skiff touched at their
bank, bringing the man to whom they had given the salt and also
carrying the carcass of a fine buck.

"There, boys, better smoke what yer can't eat by termorrer. I'll
show yer how."

"We know how and we're very much obliged. But we must pay for it,
you know."

"I can't take a cent and it makes me feel bad t' have yer talk about
it. Have yer seen them fellers yit?"

"Oh, yes. They called on us and we returned the call. We didn't
happen to be at home when they called, though," said Dick.

"They come here t' your camp?"

"Yes. They certainly came."

"'nd you not here?"

"No."

"What did they take?"

"Stole a rifle," said Dick.

"I'll git it back. Don't yer worry, I'll git it back and I'll start
now," and the outlaw rose from the log on which he was sitting.

"Don't go. We got the rifle back."

"How did yer do it?"

Dick told the story of the recovery of the rifle. The outlaw sat for
a minute looking down at the ashes of the fire, and then, speaking
very slowly and with emphatic little nods between the words, said:

"And them's th' fellers I thought needed lookin' arter."

There was silence for some time and then Ned spoke in a voice that
was low from suppressed feeling.

"My friend, I don't know your name. I don't know what you did. I
don't ask it. But I believe you are too good a man to be living the
life of an outlaw. Now, can't something be done to help you? If some
men of influence worked for your pardon, couldn't it be got?"

"Reckon not. It's bin tried. I'll tell yer jist how 'twas. I killed
a man. He worried me 'nd threatened me 'nd tried ter kill me with a
knife, 'f I'd shot him then, nobody'd said nuthin', but I waited 'nd
then I got scared, thot he'd kill me, 'nd one day I shot him. I was
put in th' pen, then I was sent t' the chain gang 'nd set t' boxin'
trees f'r turpentine. Saw a man flogged day I got thar. Sed I'd
never git whipped if work would save me. I was the strongest man in
the gang. Boxed more trees 'n anybody. More I did, more I had t'. I
don't say I was whipped. If I was I didn't deserve it. If I was 'nd
ever see th' man that did it I'll kill him. Know how turpentine
gangs is guarded? Boy sits up on platform with rifle 'nd gives
orders. S'pose yer sassy to him or he just wants fun with yer. When
Cap--that's th' man that whips--comes 'long, boy sez feller's bin
shirkin'. Then felle