our hole, Jake, if you're scared," said Bob Sharp.

"Jake ain't scared, he's only bashful," drawled Sid Russell.

"I ain't afraid no more'n the rest of you," said Jake, "but you're all
fools enough to run your heads into a noose."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Sam, looking up quickly from the map
over which he had been poring.

"I mean just this," replied Jake, "that this here business 'll end in
gettin' us into trouble that we wont git out of soon, an' I move we
draw out'n it right now, afore its too late."

Sam was on his feet in an instant.

[Illustration: "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, SIR?"]

"Do you know what you're saying sir?" he cried. "Do you understand who
is master here? Do you know that no motions are in order? Let me
tell you once for all that I will tolerate no further mutinous words
from you. If I hear another word of the kind from you, or see a sign
of misconduct on your part, I shall take measures for your punishment.
Stop! I want no answer. I have warned you and that is enough."

Sam's sudden assertion of his authority, in terms so peremptory, took
Jake completely by surprise. Sam was a good tempered fellow, and not
at all disposed to "put on airs" as boys say, and hence he had been as
easy and familiar with his companions as if they had been merely a lot
of school boys out for a holiday; but when Jake Elliott suggested a
revolt, Sam, the good natured companion, became Captain Sam, the stern
commander, at once.

The other boys saw at once the necessity and propriety of the rebuke
he had administered. They believed Jake Elliott to be a coward and a
bully, and they were glad to see him properly and promptly checked in
his effort to give trouble.

It was growing late and the boys presently threw themselves down on
their beds of soft gray moss and were soon sound asleep.

CHAPTER IX.

JAKE ELLIOTT GETS EVEN WITH SAM.

Jake Elliott was a coward all over, and clear through. He had always
been a bully and pretended to the possession of unusual courage. He
had tyrannized over small boys, threatened boys of his own size and
sneered at boys whom he thought able to hold their own against him in
a fight. He had had many fights in his time, but had always managed to
get the best of his opponents, by the very simple process of choosing
for the purpose, boys who were not as strong as he was. As a result of
all this he had acquired a great reputation among his fellows, and
most of the b