I certainly did, for Luke Redman’s scheme was perfectly clear to me. He knew he could not show himself outside the swamp as long as the authorities and settlers were on the watch, and he had detained Tom and me, hoping through us to work on the fears of our friends and relatives.
If they would let him alone for one week—or, to put it in plain English, if they would draw in the patrols who were guarding the river, and allow him to cross into Louisiana with the eight thousand dollars—he would return Tom and me to our homes, right side up with care; but if they persisted in searching for him, he would put us where no one would ever see us again.
I had never heard of so desperate a scheme before, and to say that I was amazed would but feebly express my feelings.
While I was thinking it over, and wondering if it would succeed, Tom recovered from his bewilderment, and showed that he could be plucky and determined, as well as mean and cunning.
“Well, this gets ahead of me completely,” said he, in great disgust. “This is the second trick you have played on me, Luke Redman, and I want you to understand that I won’t put up with it—that’s all about it. If you expect to keep me here, you are deceived for once in your life, if you have never been before. Whenever I get ready to go home, I shall go; and all the boys and bloodhounds and Indians in your whole gang can’t prevent me.”
“Can’t! Wal, I’ll mighty soon show you. If you’re going to get your back up an’ act onreasonable, we’ll have to tie you, too. Barney, take that shootin’-iron away from him.”
The dark scowl on Tom’s face and the determined manner in which he spoke satisfied me that he was very much in earnest, and I thought it might prove a dangerous piece of business for Luke Redman or any of his boys to lay violent hands on him; but to my surprise he gave up his gun without the least show of resistance, and permitted the Dragoons to tie his hands behind his back.
He shook his head threateningly, and kept up a rapid talking during the whole proceeding; and I knew that if ever the opportunity was offered, Luke Redman would suffer for his treachery.
“Thar,” said the robber, “that job’s done, and now we will start on ag’in. But you must be blindfolded first, ’cause we’re goin’ to take you to a place that no man, ’cept them b’longin’ to our crowd, ever looked at.”