Donaster looked at Grimsby for a minute without replying. He was angry, and he longed to kick this fellow out of the room. But he knew he had to be cautious if he expected to secure the prize. He must muzzle him somehow until then, otherwise he would spoil his chance completely.
"I am afraid I can pay you but little," he at length confessed. "I am rather hard up myself."
"Oh, that's all right, sir. I'm not hard to please. Let's be partners and divvy up. Give me half of what you have, and I'm at your command. Then, when you get the girl—and the money—you can give me some more." Grimsby's eyes twinkled as he made this suggestion, and he watched to see the effect upon Donaster.
"And you promise that you'll not squeal on me if I do this?"
"Sure. I'll do almost anything for money—like yourself, eh?"
"Do you think you can find the girl?"
"Leave that to me, sir. You came down river on the 'Eb and Flo,' didn't you?"
"How did you hear about that?" Donaster quickly queried.
"H'm, don't ask me how I find out about things. I generally know what's taking place. Eben Tobin's quite a lad, eh?"
"He certainly is. You know him, then?"