“A warrant from a justice of the peace does not allow you to go out with guns and rifles and shoot over private property,” declared Mr. Tingley, angrily.  “Be off with you—­and don’t you dare come to this island again without permission.”

“Hold on, thar!” yelled Rufus Blent, leaping from the sleigh with more agility than one would have given him credit for.  “You air oversteppin’ the line, Mr. Tingley.  That officer’s in the right.”

“No, he’s not in the right.  He’d never be in the right—­hunting a boy with an armed posse.  I should think you and these other men would be ashamed of yourselves.”

“You look out, Mr. Tingley,” warned Blent, hotly.  “You’re a stranger in these parts.  You try to balk me and you’ll be sorry.”

“Why?” demanded the city man, quite as angrily.  “Are you the law and the prophets here, Mr. Blent?”

“I know my rights.  And if you want to live in peace here, keep out o’ my way!” snarled the real estate man.

“You old scoundrel!” exclaimed Mr. Tingley, stepping swiftly toward him.  “Get off Cliff Island—­and get off quick.  I’d spend a thousand dollars to get a penny’s worth of damages from you.  I’ll sue you in the civil courts for trespass if you don’t go—­and go quick!

“Don’t think I went blindly into the transaction that gave me title to this island.  I know all about your withholding the right to ’treasure trove,’ and all that.  But it doesn’t give you the right to trespass here.  Get out—­and take your gang with you—­or I’ll have suit begun against you at once.”

Old Blent was troubled, but he had one good hold and he knew it.  He shouted to Lem Daggett: 

“Serve that warrant, Lem, and come along.  Bring that young rascal.  I’ll fix him.”

“Let me read that warrant!” exclaimed Mr. Tingley, suddenly.

“No, ye don’t!” yelled Blent.  “Don’t let him take it into his hand.  Read it aloud to him.  But make that pesky young Sheming come ashore first.  Before ye know it, he’ll be runnin’ away ag’in.”

The men who “covered” Jerry motioned him to step up to the bank.  They looked so threatening that he obeyed.  Daggett produced a legal looking paper.  He read this aloud, blunderingly, for he was an illiterate man.

Its contents were easily gathered, however.  Squire Keller had signed the warrant on complaint of Rufus Blent.  Jerry was accused of having stolen several boxes of ammunition and a revolver.  The property had been found in an old shed at Logwood where the boy had slept for a few nights after he had first been driven from Cliff Island.

“Why, this is an old story, Blent,” ejaculated Mr. Tingley, angrily.  “The boy left that shed months ago.  He came directly to the island, when I hired him, from the neighborhood of Lumberton, and Preston assures me he hasn’t been to Logwood since arriving.”

“You can tell all that in court,” snarled Blent, waving his hand.  “If he’s got witnesses to clear him, I guess they’ll be given a chance to testify.”