But
why should he be shot at? What had he done that he should be arrested,
threatened with jail and hanging, and treated like an outlaw generally?
Whom did these men take him for? and who were they? By the manner in
which they had spoken of a judge, they must represent the law in some
way; but why he should be an object of their pursuit puzzled the boy
more than a little.
To be sure, he had now laid himself open to the suspicion of being a
river thief, by carrying off their skiff. Would it not be well to
return it at once? He could talk to them, and explain how he happened
to be on the island, while still at such a distance from shore as to be
beyond their reach. They might shoot, though, and if they really
considered him the rascal they pretended, it was almost certain that
they would. No, that plan would not work. The only thing left to be
done was to take the skiff to Dubuque, telegraph to his father from
there, or try and find one of the Major's friends in that city who
would do so for him, and at the same time provide him with food and
shelter until his father came. Yes, that was the best plan.
Having reached this determination, Winn sat up and looked about him.
The light which he had mistaken for dawn was that of a late-rising
moon, and it hardly penetrated the mist hanging low over the river.
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