After the captain left Tom, he made his way to the office of the steamship company. Alonzo’s keen eyes lighted up when he saw his destination. Now his suspicions were verified.
“It is as I thought,” he said to himself. “The captain has betrayed us. Arrived in New York, he may make his peace with the authorities and renounce his old comrades, and bring us to capture and death. He shall never do it! He shall never live to do it!”
As we know, he did the captain wrong in this suspicion. Though he fully intended to forsake the band and hoped never to meet any member of it again, it never once occurred to him to denounce them. There is honor among thieves—so the proverb has it—and he would have shrunk from such a betrayal.
The captain went back to his place of temporary sojourn. Now that his object was so far accomplished, and ticket secured for New York, he deemed it discreet to keep himself as much out of the way as possible till the time came for going on board the steamer.
Every evening Tom came to see him. He handed our hero his ticket, and the evening before sailing he handed Tom the belt containing the papers and securities, much to our hero’s amazement. The captain read his wonder in his eyes.
“You are surprised that I give you them so soon,” he said.
“Yes,” said Tom. “Of course I am glad to have them in charge, but I did not suppose you would trust me with them.”
“I will tell you why,” said the robber-chief. “I have a presentiment of evil. I feel that some one of my old comrades is on my track. Should evil befall me, I do not want the bonds to fall into their hands. I prefer, if they cannot benefit me, that they should go to you.”
“Thank you,” said Tom, “but I heartily hope that you are mistaken—that you will leave this city in safety, and far away have a chance to redeem your past life.”
“I think you are sincere,” said the captain, taking his hand. “I trust you more than any other living being. For that reason, whatever comes to me, I wish that you may prosper.”
The day of sailing came. Tom and the captain went on board the steamer. As they stood by the railing and looked over the side, Tom said in a low voice:
“Where are your presentiments now? Nothing has happened.”
He had scarcely finished the sentence than a report was heard. The captain pressed his hand convulsively to his breast and dropped upon the deck. He never uttered another word. When he was taken up he was dead.