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and found a cavalcade of armed men around the building。
Johnny's first conviction was that the master had killed Uncle Ben
or Masters； and that the men； taking advantage of the absence of
hisJohnny'sbig brother； were about to summarily execute him。
Observing no struggle from within； his second belief was that the
master had been suddenly elected Governor of California and was
about to start with a state escort from the school…house； and that
he； Johnny； was in time to see the procession。 But when the master
appeared with McKinstry； followed by part of the crowd afoot； this
quick…witted child of the frontier； from his secure outlook in the
〃brush；〃 gathered enough from their fragmentary speech to guess the
serious purport of their errand； and thrill with anticipation and
slightly creepy excitement。
A duel！ A thing hitherto witnessed only by grown…up men；
afterwards swaggering with importance and strange technical
bloodthirsty words； and now for the first time reserved for a BOY
and that boy him； Johnny！to behold in all its fearful
completeness！ A duel！ of which； he； Johnny； meanly abandoned by
his brother； was now exalted perhaps to be the only survivor！ He
could scarcely credit his senses。 It was too much！
To creep through the brush while the preliminaries were being
settled； reach a certain silver fir on the appointed ground； and
with the aid of his now lucky hatchet； climb unseen to its upper
boughs； was an exciting and difficult task； but one eventually
overcome by his short but energetic legs。 Here he could not only
see all that occurred； but by a fortunate chance the large pine
next to him had been selected as the limit of the ground。 The
sharp eyes of the boy had long since penetrated the disguises of
the remaining masked men； and when the long； lank figure of the
master's self…appointed second took up its position beneath the
pines in full view of him； although hidden from the spectators；
Johnny instantly recognized it to be none other than Seth Davis。
The manifest inconsistency of his appearance as Mr。 Ford's second
with what Johnny knew of his relations to the master was the one
thing that firmly fixed the incident in the boy's memory。
The men were already in position。 Harrison stepped forward to give
the word。 Johnny's down…hanging legs tingled with cramp and
excitement。 Why didn't they begin？ What were they waiting for？
What if it were interrupted； orterrible thoughtmade up at the
last moment？ Would they 〃holler〃 out when they were hit； or
stagger round convulsively as they did at the 〃cirkiss〃？ Would
they all run away afterwards and leave Johnny alone to tell the
tale？ Andhorrible thought！would any body believe him？ Would
Rupert？ Rupert； had he 〃on'y knowed this；〃 he wouldn't have gone
away。
〃One〃
With a child's perfect faith in the invulnerable superiority of his
friends； he had not even looked at the master； but only at his
destined victim。 Yet as the word 〃two〃 rang out Johnny's attention
was suddenly attracted to the surprising fact that the master's
second； Seth Davis； had also drawn a pistol； and from behind his
tree was deliberately and stealthily aiming at McKinstry！ He
understood it all nowhe was a friend of the master's。 Bully for
Seth！
〃Three！〃
Crack！ Z…i…i…p！ Crackle！ What a funny noise！ And yet he was
obliged to throw himself flat upon the bough to keep from falling。
It seemed to have snapped beneath him and benumbed his right leg。
He did not know that the master's bullet； fired in the air； had
ranged along the bough； stripping the bark throughout its length；
and glancing with half…spent force to inflict a slight flesh wound
on his leg！
He was giddy and a little frightened。 And he had seen nobody hit；
nor nothin'。 It was all a humbug！ Seth had disappeared。 So had
the others。 There was a faint sound of voices and something like a
group in the distancethat was all。 It was getting dark； too； and
his leg was still asleep； but warm and wet。 He would get down。
This was very difficult； for his leg would not wake up； and but for
the occasional support he got by striking his hatchet in the tree
he would have fallen in descending。 When he reached the ground his
leg began to pain； and looking down he saw that his stocking and
shoe were soaked with blood。
His small and dirty handkerchief； a hard wad in his pocket； was
insufficient to staunch the flow。 With a vague recollection of a
certain poultice applied to a boil on his father's neck； he
collected a quantity of soft moss and dried yerba buena leaves； and
with the aid of his check apron and of one of his torn suspenders
tightly wound round the whole mass； achieved a bandage of such
elephantine proportions that he could scarcely move with it。 In
fact； like most imaginative children； he became slightly terrified
at his own alarming precautions。 Nevertheless； although a word or
an outcry from him would have at that moment brought the distant
group to his assistance； a certain respect to himself and his
brother kept him from uttering even a whimper of weakness。
Yet he found refuge； oddly enough； in a suppressed but bitter
denunciation of the other boys of his acquaintance。 What was Cal。
Harrison doing； while he； Johnny； was alone in the woods； wounded
in a grown…up duelfor nothing would convince this doughty infant
that he had not been an active participant？ Where was Jimmy Snyder
that he didn't come to his assistance with the other fellers？
Cowards all； they were afraid。 Ho； ho！ And he； Johnny； wasn't
afraid！ hohe didn't mind it！ Nevertheless he had to repeat the
phrase two or three times until； after repeated struggles to move
forward through the brush； he at last sank down exhausted。 By this
time the distant group had slowly moved away； carrying something
between them； and leaving Johnny alone in the fast coming darkness。
Yet even this desertion did not affect him as strongly as his
implicit belief in the cowardly treachery of his old associates。
It grew darker and darker； until the open theatre of the late
conflict appeared enclosed in funereal walls； a cool searching
breath of air that seemed to have crept through the bracken and
undergrowth like a stealthy animal； lifted the curls on his hot
forehead。 He grasped his hatchet firmly as against possible wild
beasts； and as a medicinal and remedial precaution； took another
turn with his suspender around his bandage。 It occurred to him
then that he would probably die。 They would all feel exceedingly
sorry and alarmed； and regret having made him wash himself on
Saturday night。 They would attend his funeral in large numbers in
the little graveyard； where a white tombstone inscribed to 〃John
Filgee； fell in a duel at the age of seven；〃 would be awaiting him。
He would forgive his brother； his father； and Mr。 Ford。 Yet even
then he vaguely resented a few leaves and twigs dropped by a
woodpecker in the tree above him； with a shake of his weak fist and
an incoherent declaration that they couldn't 〃play no babes in the
wood on HIM。〃 And then having composed himself he once more turned
on his side to die； as became the scion of a heroic race！ The free
woods； touched by an upspringing wind； waved their dark arms above
him； and higher yet a few patient stars silently ranged themselves
around his pillow。
But with the rising wind and stars came the swift trampling of
horses' hoofs and the flashing of lanterns； and Doctor Duchesne and
the master swept down into the opening。
〃It was here；〃 said the master quickly； 〃but they must have taken
him on to his own home。 Let us follow。〃
〃Hold on a moment；〃 said the doctor； who had halted before the
tree。 〃What's all this？ Why； it's baby Filgeeby thunder！〃
In another moment they had both dismounted and were leaning over
the half conscious child。 Johnny turned his feverishly bright eyes
from the lantern to the master and back again。
〃What is it； Johnny boy？〃 asked the master tenderly。 〃Were you
lost？〃
With a gleam of feverish exaltation； Johnny rose； albeit
wanderingly； to the occasion！
〃Hit！〃 he lisped feebly； 〃Hit in a doell！ at the age of theven。〃
〃What！〃 asked the bewildered master。
But Doctor Duchesne； after a single swift scrutiny of the boy's
face； had unearthed him from his nest of leaves； laid him in his
lap； and deftly ripped away the preposterous bandage。 〃Hold the
light here。 By Jove！ he tells the truth。 Who did it； Johnny？〃
But Johnny was silent。 In an interval of feverish consciousness
and pain； his perception and memory had been quickened； a suspicion
of the real cause of his disaster had dawned upon himbut his
childish lips were heroically sealed。 The master glanced
appealingly at the Doctor。
〃Take him before you in the saddle to McKinstry's；〃 said the latter
promptly。 〃I can attend to both。〃
The master