Part 15 (1/2)
”Let us know, then, when that particular driver gets back here,” begged Jack. ”We'll sit here in your rig and wait.”
Medway grinned. Waiting, as well as driving, meant money for him.
Fully an hour and a half dragged by. Jack was beginning to wonder if it would not be better to give up this present clue to the chase, when Medway, leaning down from his box, called quietly.
”That's the other fellow and his rig, coming back into the square now.”
”As soon as he stops,” directed Benson, ”drive us over alongside. Don't say anything to him. Let me do the talking.”
In a moment more Jack was out on the sidewalk, talking earnestly with the driver just returned.
”You've had a long trip of it,” guessed Jack, noting the warm condition of the horses.
”You bet,” nodded the other driver.
”Just got back from taking the tall woman in gray somewhere.”
”Yep. But do you call it 'somewhere'? I'd call it most anywhere.”
”How far was it?” asked Jack.
”What do you want to know for?” demanded the Jehu, looking with sudden sharpness at his questioner.
”Because we'd like to go to the same place that you took the woman,”
returned Benson, promptly.
”Huh! I took her for three dollars. I wouldn't go over that trip again for less'n five.”
”We'll pay the five, and be glad to,” proposed Jack Benson, displaying some money. ”More than that, if you play right fair with us, we'll put another five on top of the first, just as a little present to your horses.”
”You'd better use the young gentlemen right, Jim,” advised Medway.
”They're good fellows, and they pay well.”
”Why do you want to go where I took that last party?” questioned Jim, with a shrewd look.
”One of the things that the second five-dollar note pays you for is asking no questions,” retorted Jack. ”Do you want to take up our offer?”
”Yes; if you'll give me fifteen minutes to rest and water the horses,”
agreed Jim.
”That'll be all right,” nodded Jack. ”And now, Medway, have we paid you enough?”
”Plenty,” cheerfully responded the first driver, taking the hint and leaving.
”Where did you take that woman?” questioned Jack, while the new driver got out a bucket for watering his horses.
”Away down by the sea-coast. Know where the Cobtown fis.h.i.+ng shanties are?”