"Go ahead, Tom," they advised, "there's nothing else to do."
But Tom delayed, leaned over and whispered something to his comrades in distress. Abner could not hear what was said, though he noticed that they nodded their heads in approval.
"Say, we'll offer you five thousand," Dillman at once announced.
"Fifteen thousand or nuthin'," was the peremptory order. "You government fellers think nuthin' of throwin' that much around, an' a darned sight more, when it suits yez. I might as well have what's due me. Hurry up. Ye've got no time to waste."
With trembling hand Dillman put his pen to the paper, and rapidly wrote.
"How will that do?" he presently asked, handing the paper to Abner.
"Read it," was the order. "Me eyes are not good, an' it's all I kin do to handle the boat."
"'On behalf of the local government,'" Dillman read, "'we agree to give Abner Andrews fifteen thousand dollars for his place at Ash Point.'"
"That's good," was Abner's comment. "Now, sign it, the three of yez."
This was soon done, and in a few seconds the paper was placed in Abner's hand. The three men anxiously watched to see whether their captor would look at it, and they breathed more freely when he thrust it at once into his pocket without even a glance in its direction.