So all of them attacked the big tree.

Freckles sat on one of his benches and waited.  In their haste to fell the tree and load it, so that the teamsters could start, and leave them free to attack another, they had forgotten to rebind him.

The Angel was on the trail and safely started.  The cold perspiration made Freckles’ temples clammy and ran in little streams down his chest.  It would take her more time to follow the trail, but her safety was Freckles’ sole thought in urging her to go that way.  He tried to figure on how long it would require to walk to the carriage.  He wondered if the Bird Woman had unhitched.  He followed the Angel every step of the way.  He figured on when she would cross the path of the clearing, pass the deep pool where his “find-out” frog lived, cross Sleepy Snake Creek, and reach the carriage.

He wondered what she would say to the Bird Woman, and how long it would take them to pack and start.  He knew now that they would understand, and the Angel would try to get the Boss there in time to save his wager.  She could never do it, for the saw was over half through, and Jack and Wessner cutting into the opposite side of the tree.  It appeared as if they could fell at least that tree, before McLean could come, and if they did he lost his wager.

When it was down, would they rebind him and leave him for Wessner to wreak his insane vengeance on, or would they take him along to the next tree and dispose of him when they had stolen all the timber they could?  Jack had said that he should not be touched until he left.  Surely he would not run all that risk for one tree, when he had many others of far greater value marked.  Freckles felt that he had some hope to cling to now, but he found himself praying that the Angel would hurry.

Once Jack came to Freckles and asked if he had any water.  Freckles arose and showed him where he kept his drinking-water.  Jack drank in great gulps, and as he passed back the bucket, he said:  “When a man’s got a chance of catching a fine girl like that, he ought not be mixed up in any dirty business.  I wish to God I was out of this!”

Freckles answered heartily:  “I wish I was, too!”

Jack stared at him a minute and then broke into a roar of rough laughter.

“Blest if I blame you,” he said.  “But you had your chance!  We offered you a fair thing and you gave Wessner his answer.  I ain’t envying you when he gives you his.”

“You’re six to one,” answered Freckles.  “It will be easy enough for you to be killing the body of me, but, curse you all, you can’t blacken me soul!”

“Well, I’d give anything you could name if I had your honesty,” said Jack.

When the mighty tree fell, the Limberlost shivered and screamed with the echo.  Freckles groaned in despair, but the gang took heart.  That was so much accomplished.  They knew where to dispose of it safely, with no questions asked.  Before the day was over, they could remove three others, all suitable for veneer and worth far more than this.  Then they would leave Freckles to Wessner and scatter for safety, with more money than they had ever hoped for in their possession.