“That’s my melon,” said Hod, diving at him again furiously, “an’ you’ve smashed it!”
He was butting and striking with blind rage, when Lion bounced upon him, and actually had him by the collar of his coat, dragging and shaking him with terrible growls, when Tug and Cub and Dock—one catching Hod by the heels, one Jack, and the other Lion—disentangled the combatants.
“Where j’e git all this money?” demanded Cub.
“Found it, and I’m carrying it home,” said Jack, scrambling to pick up his scattered half-dollars.
“He’s murdered somebody for it!” cried Hank, peering in the direction of the hollow log. “I heerd him! Hold on to him, boys!” and he ran to make discoveries.
“Don’t ye do that!” said Jack, as Hod rushed to help him pick up the coin. “My dog will have hold of ye again! Watch, Lion!”
“Take that out o’ yer pocket, Hod!” said Cub, seizing his youngest brother by the neck. “Melons is fair game, but now ye’re stealin’. None o’ that while I’m around!”
Hank, meanwhile, had reached the hollow log, beside which the hat and cane were; when, hearing groans from within and seeing a pair of legs sticking out, he began at once to remove the rubbish from the opening. Dock and Tug went to his assistance; and, each laying hold of a leg while Hank pulled energetically at the coat-tail, poor old Peternot, half smothered, fearfully rumpled, and frightfully cross, was hauled out by the heels horizontally.
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WHEN at length the squire stood upon the legs he had been drawn out by, and found himself in the presence of the Huswick boys, the recognition and pleasure were mutual.
“You scoundrels!” he began, brushing the dirt from his clothes and hair.
“What are we scoundrels fer?” said Hank, the tall one, with a comical grin on his thin, sinewy features. “Fer snakin’ ye out of the log?”
“If ye ain’t satisfied, we can pack ye in agin,” suggested Dock. But Peternot did not seem to take that view of the matter.
“How come ye in there, anyhow?” said Tug. “Was he murderin’ on ye?”
“Yes! Where is the villain? He’s got my money!” And away limped the old man in pursuit of the youthful robber and assassin.
“Can’t help it now,” muttered Dock. “Hank, I wish you’d left the old fox in his hole!”