Читать книгу Hands Up! онлайн

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But hardly had I reached the platform, across the "square," than one of those who had been sitting on the verandah came after me with a "Mister!"

I turned about.

"Say, mister," he said, "that fellow ain't the pro-prietor. The ho-tel ain't changed hands at all. Lunch will be on within half an hour. He's only a fellow who comes in from his ranch about once a month and thinks he's a sure-thing wag. That's what he calls his fun, going on like that."

"Thank you very much, sir," I said. "I'll be over again for lunch, then. Thank you very much."

"Be careful of the wag," he suggested. "He sometimes gets nasty when people don't see that he's funny. The way you answered him just now puzzled him. He weren't sure how to take it. He carries a gun—and I see you don't." And with a nod he turned back for the hotel, but I remained, for the time being, because the whistle of an approaching train broke out far off in the hills, and I wanted to be on hand to help to carry Douglas aboard.

Scotty had come on to the platform at sound of the whistle, carrying a red flag.