“Do I? try me!” The man’s face gave evidence of his sincerity.
“Will you work all night for that amount?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And go wherever I wish?”
“Yes; so I get back by morning.”
“And will you permit me to take your team, after you have gone a certain distance, and drive the remainder of the way, you to remain with one of my men until I return?”
“Well, as to that, is it not a little peculiar to ask a man to let his team be driven off by unknown parties without a guarantee that it will be returned?” and the expression of his countenance indicated that he was in a quandary, for he did not like to lose the twenty dollars, nor did he like the idea of letting his team be driven away by strangers.
“You need have no fear as to that; your team will be returned; but, to satisfy you, I will leave two hundred dollars with you as security until I return it.”
“That alters the case,” said the man. “I am with you.”
“Then, be at the corner of California street in ten minutes;” and Cobb turned and walked back to the Occidental.