Short Stories
"Keep going," Charley whispered, "just as though you did-
n't hear him."
The next few moments were very anxious ones. The fisher-
man was studying us sharply, while we were gliding up on
him every second.
"You keep off if you know what's good for you!" he called
out suddenly, as though he had made up his mind as to who
and what we were. "If you don't, I'll fix you!"
He brought a rifle to his shoulder and trained it on me.
"Now will you keep off?" he demanded.
I could hear Charley groan with disappointment. "Keep
off," he whispered; "it's all up for this time."
I put up the tiller and eased the sheet, and the salmon boat
ran off five or six points. Big Alec watched us till we were out
of range, when he returned to his work.
"You'd better leave Big Alec alone," Carmintel said, rather
sourly, to Charley that night.
"So he's been complaining to you, has he?" Charley said
significantly.
Carmintel flushed painfully. "You'd better leave him alone, I
tell you," he repeated. "He's a dangerous man, and it won't pay
to fool with him."
"Yes," Charley answered softly; "I've heard that it pays
better to leave him alone."
This was a direct thrust at Carmintel, and we could see by
the expression of his face that it sank home. For it was common
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