To Win or to Die Part 34

"Well, I can't say what I lent you won't be welcome. My word, though, you brought a good load."

"Set to and play cook," said Dallas, "while I tidy up. I'm sure you could eat some breakfast, and I'm starving."

"So am I," cried their visitor, laughing. "Beginning to feel better, master?" he added, turning to Abel.

"Yes; only I'm so stiff, and my throat is so painful."

"Cheer up, my lad; that'll soon get better. I only wish, though, I had come last night when that fellow was here. I don't believe my conscience would ever have said anything if I had put a bullet through him."

Abel lay silent near the fire, watching the dog thoughtfully while stores were unpacked and preparations made for a meal; but at last he spoke.

"Dal," he said, "give me that knife that you found."

"What for? You had better lie still, and don't worry about anything now except trying to get well."

"Give me the knife. I've been thinking. That man who attacked me last night was one of that gang."

"What!" cried Tregelly, stopping in his task of frying bacon.

"Nonsense! they daren't show their noses here now."

"I feel sure of it," said Abel excitedly. "Let me look at that knife.

I believe it's the one that was stolen from the man on the lake."

Dallas looked at him doubtingly, before picking up the knife and shaking his head. "It might be, or it might not," he said dubiously, as he pa.s.sed it to his cousin.

"Well, at any rate, Dal, they have tracked us down, and that accounts for the attack."

"It looks like it," said Dallas; "but don't get excited, old fellow. I don't want you to turn worse."

"But they must be somewhere close at hand, Dal," cried Abel; "and we may be attacked again at any moment."

"All right, then, we'll be ready for them," said Dallas soothingly.

"Forewarned is forearmed."

"You are saying that just to calm me," said Abel bitterly. "You do not believe me, but it is a fact. I felt something of the kind last night in those horrible moments when he held my throat in that peculiar way.

It was out of revenge for the past. They have dogged us all the time, and been close at our heels. Ah, look out!" he cried wildly, as he tried to spring up--"Listen! I can hear them outside plainly."

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

THE STARTING OF A BODYGUARD.

"Nay, nay, lad," said Tregelly soothingly; "there's no one here now.

That bag of gold was enough to bring one of the rowdies down upon you, but those three chaps wouldn't risk a meeting with the judge again."

"I don't know," said Dallas thoughtfully; "there is plenty of room hereabout for them to be in, hiding; and they must have gone somewhere."

"Not much chance for a man to keep himself alive in this country, without tackle and stores, or a shanty of his own."

"Unless he has attacked and murdered some one," said Abel bitterly.

"But you will see."

The poor fellow was so exhausted by what he had gone through that, after painfully swallowing some of the tea that had been prepared, he dropped into a stupor-like sleep, whilst Dallas watched him anxiously.

"That was fancy of his, my lad," said Tregelly, who was making a hearty breakfast. "Come, you don't eat."

"How can I, with the poor fellow like this?" cried Dallas. "He seems to come in for all the misfortune."

"Yes, he is a bit unlucky," replied Tregelly; "but you must eat if you want to help him. Look here, I don't want to be unfeeling; but your mate isn't dying of fever."

"No, no; but look at him."

"Yes, I have, and he has been a good deal knocked about, besides having a frozen foot; but that will all get well. You are set up with provisions again; you've got your gold back, and a good claim of your own."

"Just good enough to keep us alive."

"Well, it isn't very lively work, my lad," said Tregelly; "but we must make the best of it. We shall have the summer again soon, and do better, perhaps."

"I hope so," said Dallas bitterly, "for we could never get through another winter like this."

"You don't know till you try. And you take my advice: let your brother--"

"My cousin."

"Well, it's all the same out here. Let him sleep all he can, and when he's awake feed him up and keep him warm."

"I can't get rid of the feeling that I ought to go back to Yukon Town and try to get a doctor."

"Nonsense, my son; he wants no doctor. And now look here; if I say something to you, will you believe that it's meant honest?"

"Of course. What do you mean?"

"Only this, my son; that I don't want you to think that I want to come and sponge upon you because you've got plenty of prog."

"Mr Tregelly!"

"Let me finish, my lad," said the big Cornishman. "I was going to say, what do you think of me coming and pigging here with you for a bit, in case what the youngster here says might be right; and if it is, you and me could polish off that gang pretty well, better than you could alone, or I could alone. Not that I'm skeered; but if young Wray here is right they'll be down upon me too. But I don't want you to think--"

"But what about your gold?" said Dallas eagerly.

"If any one should go there, and can find it, I'll give it him."

"Is it so well hidden?"

"Yes; I've got it froze into the middle of a block of ice. They'll never look there."

"Will you come?" said Dallas excitedly.