Joe's first thought was to get a candle and go over the bills one by one, and see if Barlow had cheated him; but he soon came to the conclusion that it would be safer to do that when his wife and son were in bed. He entered the door without saying anything to anybody, threw off his hat and coat, filled his pipe, and sat in his usual place in the doorway and smoked and meditated. All of a sudden he thought of something.
"Say, Hank, you ain't got nothing to do, and I propose that you stay around and watch me," said he.
"Stay around and watch you do nothing?" exclaimed Hank. He had been engaged in an earnest conversation with his mother, but it was cut short when his father unlatched the gate. He was now looking up a book, to put in the hours until bedtime arrived. "Father, I can't do it. I am engaged to go fishing with Bob Nellis to-morrow, and the next day I am going hunting with him."
He didn't say anything about the pearls he expected to find. He was well enough acquainted with his father to know that he would haunt that stream night and day as long as a single pearl remained.
"Bob Nellis!" said Joe, in disgust.
It was right on the point of his tongue to tell Hank that by the time he got ready to go fishing with him Bob would be a long ways from there; but he didn't say it. He must keep that with the utmost secrecy. His family did not know that he had anything to do with Barlow, and the longer they could remain in ignorance of it the better it would be for him.
"Yes, Bob Nellis," said Hank. "I don't see what you have against that fellow since he has lost his money."
"I hain't got anything against him," said Joe, as if he were profoundly surprised. "I never said a word against him."
"I know you haven't, but you always sneer whenever his name is mentioned. What do you want me to keep watch of you for?"
"To see that Barlow's barkeeper doesn't ship me off to sea," said Joe, impressively.