"Afraid!" exclaimed the man from Pike contemptuously. "The Rip-tail
Roarer knows not fear. I can whip my weight in wildcats------"

"Yes, I know you can," interrupted Joshua. "You told us so
yesterday."

The man from Pike seemed rather annoyed at the interruption, but as
Mr. Bickford appeared to credit his statement he had no excuse for
quarreling.

He proceeded.

"Instantly I sprung to the back of my steed and gave them chase."

"Did they see you?"

"They did."

"Why didn't they turn upon you? You said there were twenty of them."

"Why?" repeated the Pike man boastfully. "They were afraid. They
recognized me as the Rip-tail Roarer. They knew that I had sent more
than fifty Indians to the happy hunting-grounds, and alone as I was
they fled."

"Sho!"

"Did you kill any of them?" asked Joe.