One of the planks had started, and they could hear plainly, and even see a good deal of the interior of the place. They did see—saw Elgert and the man enter; and Horace Elgert sat down on the top of that boat.
"If I only had a pin!" muttered Green. And Tinkle dug him in the ribs and breathed in his ear—
"Be quiet, or I will punch your head when I get you out!"
"You are an impertinent rascal!" was Elgert's first polite remark. "But don't you forget the book I have, with the confession in it. It may get you into trouble yet."
"And don't you forget, Mr. Horace, that it was your own father who put me up to it. He wanted Charlton got out of the way, and he showed me how to make a hundred pounds for myself, and make an innocent man get the blame. I haven't had a single day's peace of mind since. My conscience has accused me."
"Your conscience! Where do you keep it?" laughed Elgert, while the ears of the two hidden boys were strained to their utmost. "A pretty sort of fellow you are. My father put you up to it! How can you prove that?"
"I cannot," was the sulky answer. "He was too clever for that. I wrote the truth in my pocket-book——"
"Like the ass you are! What good would that do to you, or to Charlton?"
"It did no good. But it made me feel better, even to confess it like that. You stole the book—you, a fine gentleman! You stole it from my coat!"
"Yes; it was safer in my keeping than in yours. Such things are dangerous if they are left lying about."