Keeping to the water's edge, Professor Young walked rapidly toward Ithaca. He knew that further up the shore the fishermen were drawing their nets; he did not wish to advance upon them. Since knowing Tessibel Skinner, he had become more lenient toward the law-breakers.
He turned into the forest at the side of the Hoghole, but the sound of voices brought him to a standstill.
Ezra Longman was shouting out a threat.
"Ye be a-tryin' to get Tess, and I tells ye to look out."
"Shet up!" responded Ben Letts.
"If ye air a-wishin' to live," came the boy's voice again, "I says for ye to keep away from her."
"I lives 'cause I lives, and I ain't afraid of ye, nohow."
The Professor barely caught the words, for they were gurgled in the deep throat.
"I wants Tess for a woman," Ben broke out, "and for a woman I air a-goin' to have her. She'll care for Mammy and me. I gets her. See?"
The north reel stopped turning, but the south one went on silently. Ben Letts and Ezra Longman were turning over and over on the sand, at grips with each other.
Professor Young uttered no word. Then Ezra's voice came from under Ben's big body.
"I tells what I knows about Skinner if ye don't get up and let me be," said he. "I tells--"
Red fingers closed over his throat, and Ezra Longman spoke no more. As the south reel kept turning around and around, the rope slackened from the north reel in the water; and still Ben Letts held his deadly fingers pressed about the neck of his enemy.
Professor Young saw Ben sit up and bend his head to the heart of the other fisherman. Then, with a furtive glance about, he lifted the boy in his arms, and came toward Young, grunting under his burden. Young drew back into the overhanging branches.
The squatter stumbled up the rocks, dragging the boy after him, and with a mighty effort lifted him high in the air, and tumbled the body into the Hoghole.
In another instant, Ben was back upon the shore at the reel, turning swiftly until silently it caught up with the other, just as the net dragged in the shallow waters, with bushels of flopping fish inside.
* * * * * Professor Young lowered himself into the Hoghole. It was necessary for him to use the greatest caution. The lad came to the surface directly below him, and the Professor saw him catch at a jagged end of a rock.