“But,” says Mark, “we’re a-goin’ to take you back to him.”
Rock just looked at him.
“L-look here,” says Mark, “you got to trust us if we’re goin’ to do you any good. And I’ll tell you this, that with you gone there hain’t the least chance of ever findin’ out about you. You got to be there.... I shouldn’t wonder if the Man With the Black Gloves would be t-tickled to death, when he got to thinkin’ it over, if you was to run away and he never heard of you again. You’re a-goin’ back there because that’s where you can do yourself the most good and those f-fellers the most harm. See it?”
“I see your idea,” says Rock, “but it don’t look very pleasant.”
“Neither does l-livin’ in a cave and eat’n’ stolen pie look very good,” says Mark.
“But—” says Rock.
“Either you go back with us or we quit the whole b-b-business,” says Mark. “We’re goin’ to let on to Jethro that we captured you, and he’ll pay us money. And he’ll think you hate us, if you act right, and he’ll trust us so’s we’ll get a chance to nose around a little. I’m mighty curious,” says he, “about that cat that Mr. Wigglesworth wrote about, and where it’s lookin’, and why; and I’d like a chance to l-l-look for it.”
“Maybe you’re right,” says Rock.
“Course I am,” says Mark.
“All right,” says Rock, “but it isn’t very pleasant being shut up and watched and treated like they’ve treated me.”