The tramp tried to look at him as if in surprise. Undoubtedly he was hugging the one hope to his heart that as long as his companion remained foot-free there might be a chance for his release. That idea of self-interest was undoubtedly the only thing that would account for his desire to remain mute.
“My partner?” he went on to say, as though not understanding what was meant.
“Yes, the man who was with you, Wandering George, the fellow who wore the blue army overcoat that was given to him by a lady in Cranford a few days ago?”
“Oh! you mean him, does you?” the hobo replied, with a knowing nod; “that guy gimme the slip yesterday, and never divvied with me either. I’d like right well to set eyes on George myself, and that’s no lie. I got a bone tuh pick with him.”
“You’re telling what isn’t true, now,” said Thad severely. “We happen to know that you two came here in the hold of the shanty boat we were on. Last night George crept into our camp, and got away with nearly all our food stuff. There’s a piece of the bacon right now, Giraffe, which ought to please you some. What have you got to say about that, Mr. Tramp?”
“It was me sneaked your camp, kid; I was nigh starved out, and nawthin’ couldn’t keep me from takin’ chances,” the other boldly replied.
“Tell that to the marines!” Giraffe blurted out. “Thad, you don’t believe him, do you? We know better than that, don’t we?”
“The man who crept into our camp had a rag tied around his right foot to keep the torn sole of his shoe on,” Thad went on to say positively, as though clinching matters beyond all question; “and we can see that both your shoes are fairly decent, so it couldn’t have been you. Besides, there were two pairs of tracks making the trail. You waited for him back of the bushes, and both went off together. Now, you see how foolish it is trying to yarn out of it. Where is George?”
The man looked into that flushed but determined face. He saw something in those steady eyes that convinced him the leader of these boys in khaki was not the one to be further trifled with.
So he gave a nervous little laugh.