“Then you intend to go ahead to-night?” asked the voice of Mr. Norton anxiously.
“Yes. By the way, how do you get on with the boy?”
“Pretty well. He’s rather high-strung. I expect him back any moment. I sent him over to Bend Center for some tobacco.”
“Good. Come, Bill; let’s be off before he returns.”
“Just as you say, Dick. You are running this deal, not I.”
And with these words the two men passed out of hearing, and made for the boat I had seen anchored in the inlet when I had gone down to the Bend in the morning.
This conversation surprised me not a little. At first I had intended to come forward and show myself, but now I was glad I had not done so.
Who were the two men? and what was their mission to the mill? Plainly they were well known to Mr. Norton; and yet he had just come from the West, and had not been in Bend Center for many years.
Perhaps these men were also from the West, and, knowing Mr. Norton was at the mill, had stopped over, most likely from Bayport, to see him. This was a rather lame explanation, and it by no means satisfied me. As to what was to be “gone ahead with” that night I had not the faintest idea.