“I will take it off and wash it.”
“You will?” exclaimed Peleg, in unbounded astonishment. “Don’t you have no women to do that sort of work? My mother always washes my clothes.”
“Well, you are lucky to have a mother. I have had none since I can remember. I have to do all such little things myself.”
“This beats me. What did you say to Jonas?”
“Not a thing. I have not seen him since I saw you.”
“Have you got your papers?” said Peleg, who was particularly anxious on that score. “You had better give them to me; because when Jonas overhauls us he will search all your clothes.”
“Let him search,” said Nat, turning upon Peleg and looking at him as closely as he could in the dark. “I have got my papers, but they are right in here,” he added, touching his forehead with his right hand. “He won’t get them out of there.”
“Well!” said Peleg, looking down at the ground they were so rapidly leaving behind. “That’s a pretty way to do business. You have got me to help you in looking for that money, and you had ought to let me into the whole of it.”
“In other words, I must tell you my secret, must I?” demanded Nat, stopping in his headlong gait. “I did not agree to do that. You may go back on me the first thing.”
“No, I won’t; I pledge you my word that I will stay by you. Now if you don’t tell me all of it I won’t go.”