“So I held up my lantern like the head-light of a locomotive and stumbled along, making pretty good time on the whole.
“I must have been just about half-way home, I guess, when all at once, without the slightest idea on my part that any human being was within half a mile of me, I felt a pair of arms clasped around my waist with a strength it was impossible to overcome; then, suddenly, I was thrown down, the light from a more powerful lantern than mine (which had fallen from my hand and become extinguished) flashed about me, and by its glare I saw three powerful fellows, who, in spite of my struggles, and I am no baby, proceeded to tie my hands firmly behind me.
“I did not recognise them at all till, at length, as I lay there on my back, entirely helpless, one of them snatched the lantern from his companion and held it close down to me, while he brought his own face close to mine.
“‘Wall, Joe Townsend,’ he said, ‘do you know me?’
“‘Yes, I know you, Clint Parker,’ I answered, as coolly as I could.
“‘I thought as how mebbe ye would. I didn’t mean to stay down there to Joliet so long thet my dearest friend would forgit me. I’ve been thinkin’ ’bout you, Joe, most all the time while I was down there gittin’ up my muscle-breakin’ stone. And here’s anuther feller you may remember—leastways, he aint forgot you, eh, Tom?’—and I now recognised Tom Jackson, the other prisoner of two years before. The third man I had never seen.
“‘This place’ll do as well as any, I ’spose,’ Parker went on, presently. ‘What’s the time, Jem?’
“Jem consulted his watch, and pronounced it to be about nine.
“‘All right; he’ll have jest about fifty minutes to think things over in and repent having lied about two such exemplary gentlemen as Tom Jackson and myself—eh, Tom?’ and Tom chuckled, approvingly.
“‘Now git out all them ropes,’ still Parker went on. He seemed to be the leading spirit and spokesman of the enterprise. ‘Do ye know what we’re goin’ to do with yer, Joe? We aint goin’ to throw no trains off the track. Oh, no! Tom and me, we wouldn’t do nothin’ of that kind—eh, Tom? But we’re goin’ to let you throw one off. I told ye, ye know, that Tom and me we’d diskivered a new kind of sleeper for throwin’ trains with. We’re jest goin’ to tie you down here across the track awhile, that’s all. We wouldn’t do nothin’ cruel—eh, Tom?’