Part 17 (1/2)
”Back to Musky Bay; but a few hours ago I didn't think I'd ever see it again.”
Jack had to shout both his story and Billy's for Abner's benefit. But he gave them in highly condensed versions, as his sorely taxed vocal organs had almost reached the limit of their strength. He had just reached the conclusion, having been interrupted several times by Abner's exclamations, when, ahead of them, on the road, they spied a figure shuffling along in the dust. The two boys were on the rear seat of the rig, so that the man, when he saw the rig approaching, having turned his head at the sound of hoofs, did not see the boys.
”Reckon that feller means ter ask fer a ride,” remarked Abner, as a bend in the road ahead screened the man from view for a few minutes.
A sudden idea had come into Jack's head.
”Let him have it,” he said; ”and then drive to the nearest village and up to the police station. I'll pay you well for it.”
”But--but--who is he?” demanded Abner, stopping his horse.
”Bill Sn.i.g.g.e.rs, the rascal who is in league with Judson.”
”Great hemlock! You bet I'll pick him up right smart. But he'll see you boys and scare.”
”No, we'll hide in here,” and Jack raised a leather flap that hung from the back seat. ”It will be a tight fit, but there'll be room.”
”Wa'al, if that don't beat all,” said Abner. ”Git in thar, then, and then the show kin go on.”
As Jack had said, it was a ”tight fit” in the recess under the seat, but, as Abner's rig had been made to take produce to market, there was a sort of extension at the back, which gave far more room than would ordinarily have been the case. Pretty soon the boys, in their hiding-place, felt the rig come to a stop. Then came a voice both recognized as Bill's.
”Say, gimme a ride, will yer?”
”Did ye say my harness was untied?”
”No, I said gimme a ride,” roared Bill, at the top of his powerful lungs.
”Oh, all right. Git in. Whoa thar', consarn yer (this to the horse).
Whar yer goin'?”
”Nearest village. I'm campin' up the bay. I want to get some grub,”
shouted Bill.
”Yer a long ways frum ther river,” remarked Abner.
”Maybe; but I reckon that ain't your business,” growled Bill.
”Not ef you don't want ter tell it, 'tain't,” said Abner apologetically.
He had heard enough of Bill's character not to argue with him.
”That's a nice-looking watch you've got there,” the boys heard Abner say pleasantly.
There was a pause and then Bill roared out:
”What's that to you if it is?”
”Oh, nothing, only I jest saw that printing on it, and calkilated it might have bin a present to yer.”
Jack could almost see Bill hurriedly thrusting the watch back into his pocket. Then, after a little while, he spoke again.
”Didn't see nothing of a kid back there in the road, did yer?”