“Well, I don’t blame Scraggs for that, boys. This asylum is his way of making a living. If any scandal arose out of this place it would put him out of business.”
“That’s it,” agreed Scraggs. “Them’s my reasons an’ nothin’ more nor less.”
“Well,” said Burke, in a mollified way, “if that’s the way of it perhaps you’re right.”
“We can fix that!” said Collins.
“How?”
“To-morrow we’ll take her away in a sleigh. A few miles from here is the Assabet river. We can dump her in under the ice and if she’s ever found it won’t be until Spring, anyway.”
“Good!” cried Blood. “That is the best way to work it. No need of having any hard feelings.”
“I haven’t any feelings about it,” said Burke. “So we’ll put it off until morning. One more drink, gents.”
Brandy was decanted and the party drank freely.
All this while Old King Brady had listened with deep interest.