"I'm going to take her with us as a hostage. We're not clear of the varmints yet. I believe Omas himself ain't far off, and the rest will be on our heels all the way to Stroudsburg. If they get us in a tight place, I'll let 'em know we've got the gal of Omas with us, and if they harm a hair of our heads it'll be all up with her. We'll take her clean to Stroudsburg, and then turn her loose, for we won't have any further need of her; but she must go with us." "Jabez Zitner," said Ben Ripley--"the moment you lay your hand on that child I will shoot you!" CHAPTER EIGHT: LINNA'S WOODCRAFT No one could have looked into the face of Ben Ripley without seeing he meant just what he said. Jabez Zitner supposed, when he made known that he intended to take the little Delaware girl with him as a hostage, that though it might be displeasing to the Ripleys, they would not dare object; but he was mistaken. The lad was sitting furthest away on the fallen tree, with his rifle resting across his knees, when he warned the man that if he laid a hand on Linna he would shoot him. Ben spoke low, but mingling with his words were two faint clicking sounds. They were made by the hammer of his rifle, as with his thumb he drew it back ready for use. His face was slightly pale, but his eyes glittered, and he rose to his feet and looked at the startled man. Mrs. Ripley gave a gasp of fright and clasped her hands, while the children mutely stared. Even Zitner was silent. He knew Ben's pluck, but did not believe it would take him thus far, for it looked as if there were two adults against a single boy. Burwink however, was more of a man than his companion. He looked smilingly at Ben and said--"Jabez, I reckon this has gone far enough." "What do you mean?'" angrily asked the other. "You must leave the little gal alone." "Oh, thank you! thank you!" exclaimed Mrs. Ripley. "I might have known you would see that right is done." Zitner had a few sharp words with his friend, but the latter was immovable. He would not listen to his proposition, and that ended the matter. "Well," finally said Zitner, rising to his feet, "I intended to see you folks safe to the Delaware; but I won't have anything to do with you now. Come, Horace." He strode off without another word or looking to the right or left. Burwink waited a minute, and then, with a quizzical look at Mrs. Ripley and her son asked-- "Do you think you can stand it?" "We shall have to," replied Ben. "Well, goodbye, and good luck to you;" and he followed his friend among the trees. "That was a luckier ending than I expected," remarked Ben, letting down the hammer of his rifle. "If Mr. Burwink had sided with him, there would have been no help for it," said his mother. "Such people are always cowards. I wasn't afraid of him." Now that they had departed, Linna came over to her champion--though she could not have fully understood all that had passed--and placed her hand confidingly on his shoulder.