CHAPTER XIII
A MOMENT OF PERIL
Abner Holden did not suspect that Herbert actually intended to leavehim permanently; but when evening came, and he did not return, he becameapprehensive that such was the case. Now, for more than one reason, heobjected to our hero's leaving. First, because he was a strong, capableboy, and his services were worth considerable, and, secondly, becausehe disliked Herbert, and it was a satisfaction to tyrannize over him, ashis position enabled him to do. There are some men in whom the instinctof petty tyranny exists to such an extent that they cannot feel happywithout someone to exercise their authority over. Such a man was AbnerHolden. He was a bully and a tyrant by nature, and decidedly objected tolosing one so completely in his power as Herbert was.
When night came and Herbert did not return, he decided to search forhim, and bring him back, if found, the very next day. He did not imparthis purpose to Mrs. Bickford, for he was at no loss to discover that thesympathies of the kind-hearted housekeeper were not with him, but withthe boy whom he wished to abuse. When breakfast was over, therefore, hemerely said: "Mrs. Bickford, I am going out for a short time. If Herbertshould return while I am absent, you may tell him to finish hoeing thosepotatoes in the garden."
"Do you think he will come back, Mr. Holden?" asked the housekeeper.
"Yes; he will soon be tired of wandering about. He will learn to prize agood home after he has slept out of doors one night."
Mrs. Bickford did not reply; but she did not feel quite so muchconfidence as her employer appeared to do in the excellence of the homewhich Herbert had enjoyed under Abner Holden's roof.
"It's just as well he doesn't suspect Herbert's plan," she thought, andwithout further words, began to clear away the breakfast dishes.
Abner was not long in deciding that Herbert was hidden in the woods.That, indeed, seemed the most natural place of refuge for one placed inhis circumstances. He determined, therefore, to seek there first.
We must now return to Herbert.
"If you will wait till nightfall," said Ralph, "you will be more safefrom pursuit, and I will accompany you for a few miles."
This seemed plausible, and our hero consented.
Ralph went off on a hunting expedition, but Herbert remained behind,fearing that he might tear or stain his clothes, of which it wasnecessary, now, to be careful. How to pass the time was the question. Totell the truth, the hunter's cabin contained little that would helphim. There were no books visible, for Ralph seemed to have discardedeverything that would remind him of that civilization which he hadforsaken in disgust.
Herbert went outside, and watched the squirrels that occasionally madetheir appearance flitting from branch to branch of the tall trees. Aftera while his attention was drawn to a bird, which flew with something inits beak nearly to the top of a tall tree not far off.
"I shouldn't wonder," thought Herbert, interested, "if she's got a nest,and some young ones up there. I have a great mind to climb up and seewhether she has or not."
He measured the tree with his eye. It was very tall, exceeding in itsheight most of its forest neighbors.
"I don't know as I can climb it," he said to himself, a littledoubtfully; "but anyway, I am going to try. There's nothing liketrying."
This was a lucky determination for Herbert, as will speedily appear.
It was twenty feet to the first branching off, and this was, of course,the most difficult part of the ascent, since it was necessary to "shinup," and the body of the tree was rather too large to clasp comfortably.However, it was not the first time that Herbert had climbed a tree, andhe was not deficient in courage as well as skill. So he pushed onhis way, and though once or twice in danger of falling, he at lengthsucceeded in reaching the first bough. From this point the ascent wascomparatively easy.
In a short time our hero was elated to find himself probably fifty feetfrom the ground, so high it made him feel a little dizzy to look down.He reached the nest, and found the young birds--three in number. Theparent bird hovered near by, evidently quite alarmed for the safety ofher brood. But Herbert had no intention of harming them. He only climbedup to gratify his curiosity, and because he had nothing more importantto do. Though he did not know it, his own danger was greater than thatwhich threatened the birds. For, just at that moment, Mr. Holden, inhis wanderings, had reached Ralph's cabin, and Herbert, looking down,beheld, with some anxiety, the figure of the unwelcome visitor. He sawAbner enter the cabin, and, after a few moments' interval, issue from itwith an air of disappointment and dissatisfaction.
"How lucky," thought our hero, "that he did not find me inside!"
Abner Holden looked about him in every direction but the right one. Helittle dreamed that the object of his pursuit was looking down upon him,securely, from above.
"I don't think he'll find me," thought Herbert. "Wouldn't he givesomething, though, to know where I am?"
But our young hero was doomed to disappointment. Just at thatmoment--the unluckiest that could have been selected--he was seized witha strong inclination to sneeze.
Alarmed lest the sound should betray him, he made desperate effortsto suppress it but Nature would have its way, and probably did so withgreater violence than if no resistance had been made.
"Ker-chew!" sneezed Herbert, violently.
As he anticipated, Abner's attention was attracted by the loud noise,which he rightly concluded could hardly proceed from a bird or squirrel.He had just been on the point of leaving the cabin for some other partof the woods, but at this sound he stood still. Looking up to discoverwhence it proceeded, his keen eyes detected Herbert in his lofty perch.His eyes sparkled with joy.
"Ha, you young rascal!" he exclaimed. "So you are there, are you? Youwere going to run away, were you?"
Now that Herbert was actually discovered, his fear left him, and hebecame perfectly self-possessed and confident.
"Yes, Mr. Holden," he answered, quietly; "such is my intention."
"Boldly spoken," said Abner, provoked by our hero's coolness, for he hadhoped to find him terrified and pleading for forgiveness. "I admire yourfrankness, and will try to equal it. I suppose you'll give it up as abad job now."
"No, sir," said Herbert, firmly.
"Take care, sir," said Abner, in anger and astonishment. "Take care howyou defy me. Come down here at once."
"What for?" inquired Herbert, without stirring.
"What for?" repeated Abner Holden. "That I may flog you within an inchof your life."
"That's no inducement," said our hero, coolly.
"Do you refuse to obey me?" shouted Abner, stamping angrily.
"I refuse to be flogged. You don't get me down for any such purpose, Mr.Holden."
"Then, by Heaven, if you won't come otherwise, I'll come up and help youdown."
The angry man at once commenced the ascent. Anger gave him strength,and, though he was unaccustomed to climbing, he continued to mountup about halfway to the first branching off, somewhat to Herbert'suneasiness, for he felt there was a chance that he might fall intoAbner's clutches.
But Abner's success was only temporary. At the height of a dozen feet hebegan to slip, and, despite his frantic struggles, he slid gradually tothe ground, tearing his coat, which he had not taken the precaution toremove, and blistering his hands.
What was to be done?
In his anger and excitement, he drew a pistol from his breast pocket,and pointed upward, saying menacingly, "Come down at once, you youngrascal, or I will fire!"
Herbert was startled. He did not believe the pistol to be loaded. Stillit might be.
"Will you come down?" repeated Abner, fiercely. "Quick, or I fire."
Herbert's cheek was pale, but in a resolute voice he answered, "I willnot."
Abner Holder, laid his finger upon the trigger, and would, in his anger,have carried his threat into execution; but at the critical moment hewas conscious of a violent blow, and the pistol was wrenched from hishand.
Turning quickly, he met the ster
n glance of Ralph the Ranger.