the sight of visitors; and she evinced
such eagerness to assure them that the object of their pursuit was not
there, and appeared altogether so frightened and guilty, that Ropes
winked knowingly at his companions, and said,--

"He's here, boys, safe enough."

So they forced their way into the house; her increased tremor and
confusion serving only to confirm them in their suspicions.

"Not that we doubt your word in the least, Mrs. Sprowl,"--Ropes smiled
sarcastically. "But of course you can't object to our searching the
premises, for we're in the performance of a solemn dooty. Any whiskey in
the house, widder?"

The obliging lady went to find a bottle. She was gone so long, however,
that the visitors became impatient. Ropes accordingly stationed two of
his men at the doors, and with the third went in pursuit of Mrs. Sprowl,
whom they met coming down stairs.

"Keep your liquor up there, do ye?" said Ropes, significantly.

"I--I thought--" Mrs. Sprowl gasped for breath before she could
proceed--"the master had some in his room. But I can't find it. You are
at liberty to--to look in his room, if you wants to."

"Wal, it's our dooty to, I suppose. Meantime, you can be bringing the
whiskey. Give some to the boys outside, then bring the bottle up to us.
That's the way, Gad," said Silas, as she unwillingly obeyed; "allus be
perlite to the sex, ye know."

"Sartin! allus!" said Gad.

It was evident these men fancied themselves polite.

"But he ain't here," said Silas, just glancing into Penn's room, "or
else she wouldn't have been so willing for us to search. Le's begin at
the top of the house, and look along down." They entered a low-roofed,
empty garret. "As we can't perceed without the whiskey, we'll wait here.
Meantime, I'll tell you what you wanted to know."

They sat down on a little old green chest, and Ropes, producing a plug
of tobacco, gave his friend a bite, and took a bite himself.

"What I'm going to say is in perfect confidence, between friends;"
chewing and crossing his legs.

Gad chewed, and crossed his legs, and said, "O, of course! in perfect
confidence!"

"Wal, then, I'll tell ye whar the money fur our job comes from. It comes
from Gus Bythewood."

"Sho!" said Gad, looking surprised at Silas.

"Fact!" said Silas, looking wise at Gad.

"But what's he so dead set agin' the master fur?"

"I'll tell ye, Gad." And Mr. Ropes rested a finger confidingly on his
friend's knee. "Fur as I kin jedg