In the meantime Jamie sat timidly upon the boughs next the man Bill.  As the fire blazed, the chill of the storm and night was driven out, and a cozy, comfortable warmth filled the lean-to.  Jamie’s eyes became heavy, and in spite of his unhappy position he dozed.

“See here,” said the man, “you may’s well sleep, but I ain’t goin’ to take any chances on you.  I’m goin’ to tie you so’s you won’t be givin’ us the slip.”

“Oh, leave the kid be, Bill!  He’s all right!” the other man objected.

“I ain’t takin’ chances,” growled Bill.  “I’m goin’ to have some say about it, too.”

He fumbled in his pocket, and drawing forth some stout twine proceeded to tie Jamie’s hands securely behind his back.  Then he tied Jamie’s feet, and gave him a push to the rear.

“Now I guess you’ll stay with us all right,” he grinned.

“Aw, leave the kid be!  What you want to tie him for?” Hank protested.  “He can’t get away.  Better let him go anyhow.”

“You leave me be to do what I wants to do and I’ll leave you be to do what you wants to,” growled Bill.  “I’m goin’ to keep this kid fast.  This is my business.”

“I don’t know as it’s all your business,” snapped Hank.  “I’m mixed up in it too, seems to me.”

“Well, I caught the kid, and I’m goin’ to have my say about what I do with him,” Bill retorted.  “I ain’t goin’ to let him make trouble for us, not if I knows what I’m about.”

Hank made no reply, but puffed silently at his pipe.

Jamie was wide awake again.  This man Bill meant some evil, and the little lad wondered vaguely what it could be that was to be done to himself, and what his fate was to be.  He was vastly uncomfortable, too, with his hands tied behind his back, though he was glad enough to be permitted to lie down.  He could scarcely keep the tears back, as he thought of the happy time in camp that had been planned, of the snug tent where he was to have slept with Doctor Joe, and of his own warm bed at home, and he wondered whether he would ever see The Jug again.

“The boss’ll be sore at us, Hank, if we ain’t back to camp to-morrow,” remarked Bill presently, breaking the silence.  “He can be sore though if he wants to.  He can’t fire us fellers for bein’ away even if he does get sore and cuss us out.  He needs us bad, and he can’t get any more men now.  I don’t mind his cussin’.  Cussin’ don’t hurt a feller.”

“If the wind don’t get worse and the snow lets up some so we can make out our way we better go back though as soon as it’s light enough in the mornin’,” answered Hank.  “I wish I was out’n this business anyhow.”

“We can get across the Bay even if it does snow some in the mornin’, long’s there ain’t too much sea,” said Bill.  “I’m for gettin’ away from here too.  We’ve got the swag all right and nobody’ll know about it, if we don’t let this kid loose to blab.  It was lucky we caught this feller before he found it, but he heard too much.”