"Yes, a gun and two pistols."
"Ye may want 'em afore ye git through with that crowd. They are bad ones."
"We know them thoroughly, Mr. Peterson. We have been acquainted with them for years."
And then Tom told of how Dan Baxter had been the bully at Putnam Hall, and how he had run away to join his rascally father, and of how Arnold Baxter had been Mr. Rover's enemy since the days of early mining in the West.
"O' course they are carrying off your brother fer a purpose," said the lumberman. "Like as not they'll try to hit your father through him."
"I presume that is the game."
The morning wore away slowly, but as the sun mounted higher the breeze gradually died down.
The Peacock was the first to feel the going down of the wind, and slowly, but surely, the Swallow crept closer to the schooner.
But at last both vessels came to a standstill, about quarter of a mile apart.
"Now what's to do?" questioned Sam dismally.
"I reckon we can whistle for a breeze," returned his brother.
"Whistling won't do us any good. I've been wondering if we could not do some rowing in the small boat."
