Part 9 (1/2)

And then he heard a cry of warning from behind him, and he leaped aside just as the fellow he had thrown fired a bullet pointblank at him from close behind.

As it was, the missile pierced his coat sleeve inside his arm.

As Nick leaped aside he also turned.

The hobo who had fired the shot was already running toward him, and now he was endeavoring with every effort in his power to discharge the weapon again; but for some reason the mechanism of the lock refused to work, and in an instant more Nick had leaped upon him and grasped him a second time.

He was determined now that the fellow should have a lesson indeed; so while he held him at arm's length with one hand, he pummeled him with the other until his face was a ma.s.s of bruises; and then, when the yeggman was in a condition bordering upon insensibility, Nick raised him bodily from his feet, and holding him in his arms, ran with him down along the path toward the water.

And reaching the edge of the swamp, he threw him out into the muddy water, headfirst.

It was not deep, but it was filled with soft ooze, which filled the ears, and eyes, and nose, and mouth of the fellow, so that, when he rose to his feet, he was sputtering and spitting, and coughing and swearing when he could.

The detective left the man to make his way out of the water to dry land as best he could, and turned coolly away to rejoin Handsome, who approached at that moment, grinning.

”Well done, Dago,” he said. ”You served him just right. Come along.”

They entered the scow without more words, and Handsome poled it away from the sh.o.r.e, and along the waterway through the almost impenetrable darkness--but there was never a word said about the use of the blindfold.

”How is this?” Nick asked, after a little. ”Aren't you going to tie that handkerchief over my face again?”

”No. I ought to do it, I suppose, but it's too much trouble. Besides, you're all right. I can tell a man when I see one.”

”All right,” said Nick. ”It's your funeral; not mine. Only if the lady should raise a kick--what then?”

”She would raise a kick, too, if she knew about it,” replied Handsome dubiously. ”But how is she going to know it? You are not likely to tell her, and I won't.”

”No,” said Nick, ”I won't tell her.”

”Well, then we'll dispense with the handkerchief.”

They poled on in silence for a time after that; but presently Nick asked:

”What's the lay to-night, Handsome?”

”I can't tell you that, Dago. You'll have to wait, and find out; and you'll have to do your own part, too; for if you flunk by so much as a hair, it's my duty to kill you.”

”Which I suppose you would do, eh?”

”Sure I'd do it--why not? If you ain't what you seem to be, I'd as soon put a hole in you as dip this pole into the water. You hear me!”

”Sure thing.”

”And that notwithstanding I like you. I reckon you're all right, and I'm going a great way toward proving what I think about it by not binding that handkerchief over your eyes now.”

”Are there any others in this thing with us, Handsome?”

”You'll find out soon enough. The best way for you is not to ask too many questions, but to be satisfied to do as you're told.”

They lapsed into silence after that, and there was no more said until after they had arrived at the bank where the scow was to be left.

”I suppose I can ask about those other guns that we left in the woods to-night, without giving offense, can't I?” asked Nick then.