re not all the rest; though I fear Dick will scarce cheat the nubbing
cheat this go. His time's up, I calculate."

"Will you supply his place and accompany us?" asked Luke of the
ferryman.

"No, no," replied Jem, shaking his head; "there's too much risk, and too
little profit, in the business for me--it won't pay."

"And what might tempt you to undertake the enterprise?" asked Alan.

"More than you have to offer, Master Peter," replied Jem, who had not
been enlightened upon the subject of Alan's real name or condition.

"How know you that?" demanded Alan. "Name your demand."

"Well, then, I'll not say but a hundred pounds, if you had it, might
bribe me----"

"To part with your soul to the devil, I doubt not," said Luke, fiercely
stamping the ground. "Let us be gone. We need not his mercenary aid. We
will do without him."

"Stay," said Alan, "you shall have the hundred, provided you will assure
us of your services."

"Cut no more blarneyfied whids, Master Sexton," replied Jem, in a gruff
tone. "If I'm to go, I must have the chink down, and that's more nor
either of you can do, I'm thinking."

"Give me your purse," whispered Alan to his grandson. "Pshaw," continued
he, "do you hesitate? This man can do much for us. Think upon Eleanor,
and be prudent. You cannot accomplish your task unaided." Taking the
amount from the purse, he gave it to the ferryman, adding, "If we
succeed, the sum shall be doubled; and now let us set out."

During Alan's speech, Jem's sharp eyes had been fastened upon the purse,
while he mechanically clutched the bank-notes which were given to him.
He could not remove his gaze, but continued staring at the treasure
before him, as if he would willingly, by force, have made it all his
own.

Alan saw the error he had committed in exposing the contents of the
purse to the avaricious ferryman, and was about to restore it to Luke,
when the bag was suddenly snatched from his grasp, and himself levelled
by a blow upon the floor. Conkey Jem found the temptation irresistible.
Knowing himself to be a match for both his companions, and imagining he
was secure from interruption, he conceived the idea of making away with
them, and possessing himself of their wealth. No sooner had he disposed
of Alan, than he assailed Luke, who met his charge half way. With the
vigor and alacrity of the latter the reader is already acquainted, but
he was no match for the herculean strength of the double-jointed
ferryma