CHAPTER XX
HOLDING THE FORT
All was silent over yonder where the makeshift little cabin shelterstood about the middle of the raft. The men had vanished inside, andwere no doubt waiting to see what their enemies attempted next. Perhapsthey indulged in the hope that the troublesome boys, assisted by Jenks,would draw off, and leave them to play their game to a finish in theirown way.
At the same time they must be ready to defend their new place of refugebitterly. Jack knew the folly of trying to carry a fort by assault, andhe was not silly enough to think that with only George, Josh, Andy andJenks back of him such a desperate undertaking could be carried out.Even if they received reinforcements in the shape of the two huskyloggers, that would not mean the thing would be a walk-over.
Jack was himself on the logs by this time, and Jenks followed him. Hehoped the men at bay would not start shooting toward them, for they weremore or less exposed to any fire unless they managed to drop downbehind a stray log that had at some time gotten loose, and was hauled ontop of the raft by the men in charge, rather than have it lost.
"Keep by your boat, George!" was the first thing Jack called out, "orbetter still, if you can work it around to where the Tramp lies. Perhapswe'd be wise to keep in a bunch, you know."
"A good idea, Jack," came the reply. "Andy, do you dare walk across,while I get a move on, and swim around?"
"Me, is it ye arre afther askin' that? Well, till me what's to hinder mefrom doin' the same?" and with the words the dripping Andy started toclamber along the slippery logs with utter abandon; he had been in theriver once, and was just as wet as he could be, so why should he care ifhe went overboard again?
George started up and was seen to leave the float.
"Good-bye, and good riddance to you!" the big man shouted, as he thrusthis head out of the opening in front of the cabin on the raft; fromwhich remark it might be set down that he had not heard what Jack said,and really believed the motor boat was about to pull out for good.
"All right," replied the other, for it was not difficult to please Joshunder most circumstances.
George had gone around the raft, passing below, so that he was nowcoming up the river, and it was easy for him to bring his boat alongsidethe raft without any bumping worth mentioning.
He quickly leaped on to the logs, rope in hand, and found a place tofasten his hawser without much trouble.
"Where are they, fellows?" he asked, breathlessly, as he joined thegroup.
"Still in the shack, but we're going to try and get them out," Jackanswered.
"That's right," Josh broke in just then; "you see, Jack's going to try ascheme of mine, and offer the men a chance to get off, on condition thatthey hand over that bag they got. We don't want to bother with persons,if only we c'n trap that little bag, and take it back with us."
"Rats!" said George, immediately, for he never had the least bit offaith in any idea which Josh might originate; it would have put adifferent face on it if Jack had advanced the scheme; but with the otheras its sponsor, the thing was impossible in the start and condemnedbefore he heard the particulars.
"Well, you never know," Josh went on to say, as if he felt hurt atGeorge being so positive before the proposition had even been tried,"they might be that bad scared they'd agree to anything that left 'emtheir liberty. Anyhow, guess there ain't any harm in doin' it, isthere?"
"Wait and see!"
And with that Jack turned toward the center of the raft, where thelittle refuge lay, which the two loggers made use of as sleepingquarters, and to keep themselves dry during a downpour of rain.
"Hello! you in the cabin?" he called out.
"Well, what d'ye want?" came the answer, and as before, it was evidentlythe big man who did all the talking, for as yet they had not once heardthe voice of Slim Jim raised above a low murmur, when he was arguingwith his companion.
"We've got an offer to make you," continued Jack.
"Oh! have yuh? Then spit her out, and be quick about it," came frominside.
"We'll agree to let you both go, if you hand over that bag, and allthat's in it," Jack continued. "We've got you caged, anyway, and it'sonly a question of going for the officers in one of our boats, when wecome to a large town; and you'll be taken, bag and all. Better think itover. And we don't mean to let you work the sweep of this raft, so youcan't ferry it to the shore. What do you say?"
He was answered with a mocking laugh, and some hard words.
"What d'ye take us for, younker, a pair of fools? Think we went to allthat trouble and risk to turn the proceeds over to a passel o' kids soeasy? Don't you worry 'bout us, now. We got the guns to hold the fort;and when we get good and ready p'raps we'll skip out. There's more waysto skin a cat than one. Get that, now?"
"I thought so," said George, with one of his irritating little laughs."Now just get busy, Josh, and think up some more fool plays, won't you?Or else leave the job to your betters, Jack'n me, we'll play the gamefor keeps, eh, Jack?"