The Helena independent., 1892-08-07
"YOU ARE A NICE LOT, YOU ARE"
Ben, stir your stumps. The she iff of the
county ia looking for yOu''

Ben, stir your stumps. The sheitf of the
county is looking for you.'
In response to this summons the tall
giant in the red shirt rose from under the
the shade OF II tree where he had been lying
in boozy somnolence and stared sleepily at
the company. He WAS evidently no longer
the formadible individual of the day before;
he WAS unbound and his eyes had lost their
fire.
"Ben's getting over his SPREE" said Joe
bv way of an explanation. In response to
Farmer Bunke''s inquiries Is to what they
were going to do with Jim, Joe informed
them that they were ON their way to a log
ging camp about two miles beyond, where
the wounded man would be looked after
| carefully until doctor could be fetched
| from the nearest town, and a few minutes
| later the loggers set out again with their
burden harboring, apparently, no ill
| feelings toward their late pusuers.
| When they had gone it was agreed that
| pan of tea and bit of bread all round,
which Mr. Bunker had taken the precau-
tion to bring along, would enable them to
| return to where they had left the horses in
a much happier frame of mind than if they
travelled hungry. Accordingly it was not long
| efore a fire was blazing and they were sit
ting in circle around it drinking by turns
from the single tin cup and munching
slices from a wholesome loaf of Mrs. Bun
ker's baking. The boys, except George, were
talakative and fn!! of spirits ne seemed
j pensive. He looked at his six-shooter sew
eral times, and nnally remt we'd from it the
remaining cartridges. He drank his tea
and ate his bread without wo"d. Thore
was evidently something on his mind.
What this was became apparent when just
before they we're ready to start he turned
to Farmer Bunker and said: "Mr. Bunker,
I'm going to give you my six-shooter.
After what has happened to Jim don't
| think it's q safe thing for mo to have
in camp. You can do what you like with
Farmer Bunker took the revolver in his
hand and weighed it Oh his palm reflect
| ively.
II want to know" he said. ''You give i,
| to mo because you don't think it's safe to
keep. and I'm to do what like with it2'
George nodded, though he felt decidedly
like crying in spite of the fact that he rs
ally was in earnest. The other boys re-
garded him with wonder. and 80 indeed did
| the rest of the party.
| "Well," said Farmer Bunker, speaking
slowly. II don't think she's safe to keep,
eithe and it she's mine here goes, aud bad
| luck to her."
So saying he Rrasped the pistol by the
muzzle and hurled it through the air with
all his might. With easps of astonishment
the boys saw it fly across the creek and fall
| into the foreRt.
| "Well, youngster. what do you think OF
that?' said Farmer Bunker.
| There were tears in Georges eyes. but he
answered without tlinohing and with q
brave effort to smile:
I'm glad of it,"
And it was a tidy weapon, too." said Mr..
Dobbs. rehsctveiy.
at cost So" answered George, with
proud dignity.
And this was the end of the six-shooter.
| 1t was not, however, the end Of the boys
outing, for they went into camp again that
afternoon Rt the old place and parted oonl,
pany with tho sheriff and Farmer Bunker
They saw nothing more Of the logsers dur.
ing the ten days they remained in the
woods and George never once missed his
revolver, not even on the lonsto-be re.
msmbered afternoon when hs and Hank
cana square upon bear when they were
least expecting him, and let him have the
| contents Of two barrels apiece nt short
rnnge no effectively that bruin uropped dead.
| and il never could lie decided whether the
breech-l0ader or the muzzle. LOADER had
| killed him. This WAS, of course, the crown
ing experience of their trip, but they shot a
number of other beasts and birds, includ-
! ing an eagle, which fell 10 Gordon's gun.