In the Sunk Lands — page 243: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

226 IN THE SUNK LANDS. our arrival might be inharmonious, and started back, but our captors waved the rifles in such an emphatic manner that we changed our minds and went on. Our dogs held possession of the bone collection, and contentedly gnawed them while their hosts looked on. They started toward us, but the half-breeds drove them back. We were led into the largest house, in the front room of which were gathered Jim Lacy and several others. They looked surprised, but not a word was said as they unbarred a heavy door and shoved us into a back room. The door closed behind us with a bang, and the next moment we were shaking hands with Joe, Treve and Sammy. _ ‘This is worse’n hens wrestlin’, hain’t hit ?”’ questioned the latter, earnestly, when the first excitement had subsided. ‘‘ [| suppose so,” I laughed, for now that we were reunited our spirits rose. ‘‘ But how did it happen, and what are we going to do ?”’ ‘One ata time,” replied Joe. ‘‘ Such questions are perplexing. I hardly know Eomichbooks (ee) mn