After supper the men lit their pipes, and lay down lazily under the trees.
“I’ve got an extra pipe, my lad, if you’d like to smoke,” said Alonzo, who ranked next to the captain. He was, in fact, the lieutenant of the band.
“Thank you,” said Tom, “but I don’t smoke.”
“I smoked before I was of your age, boy.”
“I can’t say it did, but it’s a comfort, and a merry life is my motto, even if it’s a shorter one.”
“I may smoke sometime,” said Tom, “but I don’t believe it does a boy any good.”
“You’re right there, most likely. What brought you out here?”
“Partly, but it was partly the love of adventure.”
“You’ve had your adventure,” said Alonzo, smiling grimly.
“Yes,” said Tom, “and a pretty expensive one. I should have done better to stay in the city.”
“I’ll tell you what you’d better do, my lad,” said Alonzo, taking his pipe from his mouth.
“Robber, bandit, or whatever you choose to call it.”
“I don’t think my friends would approve of it,” he said. “Shall I write to them and ask?”
“I am not joking,” said Alonzo. “We want a boy like you to brighten us up. You might be useful besides. We’ll give him a fair share of all we make, won’t we, men?”
“Thank you, gentlemen,” said Tom. “It’s a compliment, and so I consider it, for you wouldn’t make the offer if you didn’t like my company, but to be frank I don’t think I should like it.”
“He’s right, boys. I’m a robber myself, and am likely to be, but I won’t ask him to be. His life is before him—a bright and prosperous one it may be, and I for one won’t ask him to spoil it by taking to the road. It’s well enough for us, for there’s no other chance for us.”
“Captain,” said Alonzo, “you ain’t turning pious, are you?”
He spoke lightly, but he regarded the captain attentively as he spoke.
The captain laughed, but it was a forced laugh.
“That isn’t in my line,” he said. “I thought you knew me too well for that, Alonzo.”
“Of course I do. I thought mayhap you’d got the blues, or was getting sick of our company.”
“You have no reason to think that, because I don’t want the boy to follow our example. If you had a son of your own, Alonzo, you wouldn’t train him up to his father’s trade, would you?”
“Yes, I would,” said Alonzo doggedly. “The world owes me a living; the rich have more than belongs to them, and I am ready to relieve them of what belongs to the poor. What do you say, men?”