"You've come here uninvited, Sparwick," said Bogle. "And I'm not any too
glad to see you. You have chosen to meddle with an affair that was none
of your business. I don't blame Raikes, for he did the best thing
possible under the circumstances. You had the drop on him, and he knew
it."

"It's fair enough, as far as I kin see," replied Sparwick, uneasily.
"You an' I are old friends, Joe Bogle, an' there's no reason why I
shouldn't have a hand at such rich pickin's--especially when I've earned
the right."

"Earned it?" sneered Bogle.

"Yes, earned it," replied Sparwick, in a warmer tone. "I don't see how
you kin deny the fact. I had a bargain with them two lads yonder to
rescue their pardner, an' I was to receive a certain sum of money fur
the work. Accidentally Raikes stumbled across us this mornin', an' I
nabbed him. He had papers what showed up your little game. I could have
blocked it as easy as rollin' off a log. Why didn't I tie Raikes to a
tree, an' then push on here, and nab you, an' rescue the lad? You won't
deny that I could have done it, an' made a heap of cash by the
operation, too. But instead o' that I listens to Raikes. He says he'll
take me in with you, an' give me twice the sum I was countin' on. So I
agrees to it, an' we fixes the thing up. An' now this is the kind of
treatment I get. It ain't fair an' square, Bogle, you know it ain't. An'
what's more, I ain't a man ter be sat down upon. This here agreement
will be kept, or I'll know the reason why."

Sparwick's face flushed with anger and indignation. He rose to his feet,
and pounded the table with his fist.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

SPARWICK LAYS DOWN THE LAW.

Bogle and Raikes exchanged quick glances which Sparwick did not see. The
latter was by far the tallest and strongest of the three. Doubtless this
fact was taken into consideration by his companions.

"Keep cool," expostulated Bogle. "No need to fly into a temper. We want
to discuss this thing peaceably."

"That'll suit me," said Sparwick. "I'm to have square dealing, then,
am I?"

"Of course you are," assured Raikes.

"It depends on what you call square," hastily added Bogle. "I hope
you'll look at it the same way we do. In the first place, Sparwick, you
want to remember that Raikes and I have had all the trouble and expense
of working this thing up. It was planned weeks ago; and look what we had
to contend with before we got the l