"
"I don't know what you mean by that," said Pee-wee.
The convict did not offer him any explanation, only stood guarding the
door with a threatening aspect, which very much disconcerted Pee-wee. He
was a scout and he was brave, and not panicky in peril or emergency, but
the striped clothing and cropped head and stupid leer of the man before
him made him seem something less than human. His terror was more that of
an animal than of a man and his apparent inability to express himself
save by the repetition of that one sentence frightened the boy.
Apparently the creature was all instinct and no brains.
"Yer gotta stay here," he repeated. "Yer ain't goin' ter double-cross
_me_, pal."
Then it began to dawn on Pee-wee what he meant.
"I guess I know about you," he said, "because I heard about
your--getting away. But, anyway, if you let me go away I won't tell
anyone I saw you. I don't want to camp here now. I'll promise not to go
and tell people, if that's what you're afraid of."
"Wot's in that bag?" asked the man.
"My camping things."
"Got any grub?"
"I've got two biscuits and some chocolate."
"Gimme it," said the man, coming closer.
He snatched the food as fast as it was taken out of the bag, and Pee-wee
surmised that he had not eaten since his escape from prison for he
devoured it ravenously like a famished beast.
"Got any more?" he asked, glaring into the boy's face menacingly.
"No, I'm sorry I haven't. I escaped, too, as you might say, from my
friends--from the fellers I was with.
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