uits and some chocolate."

"Gimme it," said the man, coming closer.

He snatched the food as fast as it was taken out of the bag, and Pee-wee
surmised that he had not eaten since his escape from prison for he
devoured it ravenously like a famished beast.

"Got any more?" he asked, glaring into the boy's face menacingly.

"No, I'm sorry I haven't. I escaped, too, as you might say, from my
friends--from the fellers I was with. And I only brought a little with
me."

After a few minutes (doubtless from the stimulating effects of the
food), the convict's fear seemed to subside somewhat and he spoke a
little more freely. But Pee-wee found it very unpleasant being shut in
with him there in the darkness, for, of course, the flashlight could not
be kept burning all the time.

"I wouldn't do yer no hurt," he assured Pee-wee. "I t'ought mebbe yer
wuz a _de_-coy. Yer ain't, are ye?" he asked suspiciously.

"No, I'm not," said Pee-wee, "I'm just what I told you----"

"I ain't goin' ter leave ye go free, so ye might's well shut up. I seen
pals double-cross _me_--them ez I trusted, too. Yer square, I
guess--only innercent."

"I'd keep my word even with--I'd keep my word with you," said Pee-wee,
"just the same as with anyone. Besides, I don't see what's the use of
keeping me here. You'll have to let me go some time, you can't keep me
here forever, and you can't stay here forever, yourself."

"If ye stan' right 'n' show ye're game," said the convict, "thar won't
no hurt come to ye. This here car's way-billed fer Buff'lo, 'n' I'm
waitin' ter be took up now. It's a grain car. Yer ain't goin' ter peach
wot I tell ye, now? I wuz put wise to it afore I come out by a railroad
bloke. I had it straight these here cars would be picked up fer Buff'lo
the nex' day after I done my trick. But they ain't took 'em up yet, an'
I'm close ter starvin' here."

Pee-wee could not help but feel a certain sympathy with this man, wretch
though he was, who on the information of some accomplice outside the
prison, had made his escape expecting to be carried safely away the next
day and had been crouching, half-starved, in this freight car ever
since, waiting.

"What will you do if they don't take up the car for a week?" he asked.
"They might look inside of it, too; or they might change their minds
about taking it."

He was anxious for himself for he contemplated with terror his
threatened imprisonment, but he could not help being concerned also f