He spoke slowly, and as if talking to himself. Tom listened with surprise and interest. He saw that even robber-captains have a human side, and are not altogether bad.
“Do you like this kind of life?” asked our hero.
“A man must live,” he said. “I would rather be a prosperous merchant, but I must be satisfied with the mode of life that fortune has opened to me. But that is not to the point,” he said, changing his tone. “You said you had something for my advantage to propose. What is it?”
“I will tell you. Give me up those bonds, give me the means of returning with them to New York, and you shall have ten thousand dollars as a reward.”
“You speak confidently, but there are difficulties. How do I know that you will keep faith with me—a social outlaw? Once out of my clutches you will play me false.”
“I shall keep my promise,” said Tom proudly. “I pledge you my word.”
“But you may not be able to keep it. Show me your authority to make this bargain.”
Tom drew a paper from his pocket-book—a paper of which we have not hitherto spoken—signed by Mr. Armstrong, empowering him to make such terms as he found necessary to secure the papers.
“I should have made this offer to Morton,” he said in conclusion, “but the papers are no longer in his possession. I make them to you.”
“I don’t see how I’m to receive the money, even if I consent. There is a reward offered for my arrest.”
“I wish you could have gone to New York with me,” said Tom. “You could retain the papers until you were sure of the reward. I suppose that would be impossible.”
“This a matter of importance,” he said. “I will take a night to think it over. We will speak again on the subject to-morrow. Meanwhile keep your mouth shut.”
He walked back to the house with his companion But he did not share the captivity of his fellow travelers. He was allowed to sleep and eat with the robbers, and to have his freedom.
“He’s only a boy,” said the captain by way of explanation. “No need to shut him up.”
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TOM HAD an easy way of adapting himself to the company he was in. Moreover, being a boy, he was regarded with less distrust than if he had been older. He sat down with the robbers and took part in their conversation, carefully abstaining, however, from disclosing the mission he had revealed to the captain. He had the luck to please his entertainers, if we may give them that name.