human
Ben was seized by several men--Indians I should say. He made a brief resistance but was overpowered and dragged some distance and then carried. He was then hurled into an Indian canoe, which was followed by two others, and taken to some Indian village; where or why, I don't know,
gpt
Well, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, said Lathrop, laughing, in spite of his heavy heart, at Billy's surprising enthusiasm, which led him to construct what seemed to the other boy at best a fanciful theory,
human
he chuckled again as he pictured the wiry, steel-muscled Ben laying out his captors,
gpt
It's simple enough, my dear Watson, said Billy in the manner of the celebrated sleuth of fiction,
human
Ben's boots had hob-nails--very well, I can see that after stamping round a lot, hob-nails were dragged by moccasins--see the little lines they made in the sand? Then the lines stop but there are no more hobnails, clearly then he was carried.
gpt
Yes, but the two canoes that followed the one they put him in? asked Lathrop.
human
How do you know that there were two others?
gpt
Ridiculously simple, replied Billy,
human
Well, I am a dummy, exclaimed Lathrop, considerably vexed that he had not puzzled the problem out for himself,
gpt
Hum, said Billy and scratched his head,
human
he said consolingly,
gpt
Maybe they are cannibals and mean to eat him,
human
He'd be a pretty tough morsel, laughed Billy,
gpt
I hope so,