“Now, you’re talking sense,” he said approvingly. “You pay us a hundred each and we’ll take you there.”
“The day after to-morrow.”
“Just as you say. But we must have the money before we start.”
“And you won’t say anything to Jefferson?”
“Not a word. But if you don’t come across with the money——”
“I’ll pay it to you. Meet me here to-morrow night.”
“All right.” Nash and Carson went toward the door. “You’ve saved yourself a lot of trouble, Mr. Hanleigh.”
They went away. No sooner had the door closed behind them than Hanleigh laughed sardonically.
“A hundred dollars!” he exclaimed. “The young pups! Thought they could make a fool out of me. Well, they’ll have to get up in the middle of the night to get ahead of me. By the time they get wise to themselves I’ll be at the island and back, and I won’t pay for the privilege either.”
Next morning, Hanleigh was up early. It was snowing heavily and there was a bitter wind, but he meant to go to Cabin Island that day. He knew where Tad Carson and Ike Nash kept their ice-boat and he made his way down to the little building unobserved.