"Sure. Don’t fail. Put both of them out, and fix them so they’ll be likely to go to the hospital for a few days."
"Done! When do we get our sawbucks? Better cough in advance, for——"
"Oh, you can trust me."
"Mebbe; but we don’t propose to. Cough up now, kid, or we quit right here."
"That’s the stuff," said another of the men. "Pay in advance for a job like this."
"’Cause we may have ter jump outer this town right spry, you know. We’re liable to sail any day."
"All right," said Jabez, somewhat reluctantly; "but don’t you fail me."
"No danger, kid. You has our word of honor."
"Well, I’ve got just thirty dollars with me. It’s three tenners, and here they are."
Lynch handed the bills over in the dark, but one of the men struck a match to examine the money and make sure it was all right. The light of the match flared on the faces of the quartet, and the watching lad could not help observing that Jabez looked as much the rascal as any of his chosen tools.