ney, or will ye make me take it
from ye?"

With a reluctant grace, while still pinned down to the ground, Dan
Jaggers surrendered his half of the stolen money.

"Now, ye can git up, and go do what's laid out to be done," announced
Josh Owen, peeling a five-dollar bill from the roll and handing it to
his nephew. "First, get the horse headed right, then go on into town
and get the liquor. But don't ye stop to drink in Dunhaven, Danny. If
ye do, ye'll be sure to git inter a fight, and ye might do some talkin'
too. Hustle in, and hustle back, and ye'll find ye can trust me to hold
outer to-night's pickings safe for ye. Don't ye worry a mite on the way
to town or back, Danny boy."

If a scowl could have killed, Dan would have triumphed, even now, at the
expense of his uncle's life. But Josh paid no heed to black looks. He
thought he knew this nephew of his.

"Hurry along, Danny," he coaxed. "My throat is gittin' mighty dry for a
bit o' liquor."

"Give me another five-spot," begged Jaggers.

"Not another dollar till ye come back, Danny," rejoined his uncle,
firmly. "The quicker ye start, an' return, the quicker ye'll have yer
share of the night's business. Now, git!"

Using ugly language under his breath, Dan Jaggers turned and shuffled
off through the woods, well knowing that he would suffer from his
uncle's heavy hands if he did not.

Josh now extinguished the light by shutting off the slide of his dark
lantern. Then, after taking a look at the boys, he seated himself near
them, filling his pipe once more while he muttered:

"Subsequent happenin's clean drove them shoes outer Danny's mind. An'
I don't wonder!"

Having gotten his pipe comfortably lighted, Josh could not resist the
temptation to open the slide of his lantern ever so little; in order
that he might have another look at the money.

"Wonder how ye came to have it?" he muttered, looking at the boys, who,
being gagged as well as bound, could not have answered anyway. "I guess
likely Farnum must ha' been fool enough to let ye do some collectin' for
him," grinned Josh. "In that case, younkers, Danny an' me are makin'
it pretty hard for ye all 'round, ain't we?"

That thought appeared to bring Owen around into a state of good humor.
He looked at the chuckling, and two or three times broke out into a
hearty guffaw.

Jack Benson's mental torment grew as the time passed. Hal Hastings was
in no more enviable frame of mind.

"And we brought