his same trap! What's the game, I wonder? Robbery, it must be. And I
have a watch, some other little valuables and nearly a hundred and fifty
dollars in money on me. Oh, I'm the sleek, fat goose for plucking!"

Lying there, in enforced stillness, Jack Benson, after an hour or so,
actually fell asleep. A good, healthy sleeper at all times, he slumbered
on through the night. Once he awoke, just a trifle chilled. He heard one
of the dogs snoring overhead. Crawling under one of the blankets, Benson
went to sleep again.

"Hey, yo', Marse Benson. It am mawnin'. Time yo' was wakin' up an' movin'
erlong!"

It was the voice of the same mulatto, calling down into the pit. Again the
rays of the lantern illumined the darkness. Both bull-dogs displayed their
ferocious muzzles over the edge of the pit. Jack sat up cautiously, not
caring to attract unfriendly interest from the dogs.

"Ah want yo' to take off all yo' clothes 'cept yo' undahclothes, an' den
Ah'll let down a string fo' yo' to tie 'em to," declared the mulatto,
grinning. "Yo' needn't try ter slip yo' wallet, nor nuffin' outer mah
sight, cause Ah'll be watchin'. Now, git a hurry on, Marse Benson, or
Ah'll done push dem dawgs ober de aidge ob dis flooring."

Jack hesitated only a moment. Then, with a grunt of rage, he began
removing his outer garments. Down came a twine, to the lower end of which
the boy made fast his garments, one after another. His money and valuables
went up in the pockets, for the sharp eyes of the mulatto could not have
been eluded by any amateur slight-of-hand.

"Now, yo' cap an' yo' shoes," directed the grinning monster above.

These, too, Benson passed up at the end of the cord. The mulatto
disappeared, leaving the two dogs still on guard. At last, back came the
light and the yellowish man with it.

"Yo' sho' is good picking, Marse Benson," grinned the guide of the night
before. "Yo' has good pin feathers. Ah hope Ah'll suttinly meet yo'
again."

"I hope we do meet at another time!" Jack Benson flared back, wrathily.
The cool insolence of the fellow cut him to the marrow, yet where was the
use of disobeying a rascal flanked by two such willing and capable dogs?

"Now, yo' jes' put dese t'ings on, Marse Benson, ef yo' please, sah,"
mocked the mulatto, tossing down some woefully tattered, nondescript
garments, and, after them, a battered, rimless Derby hat and a pair of
brogans out at the toes.

"I'll be hanged if I'll put on such duds!" q