“Well, this gets ahead of me completely,” said he, in great disgust. “This is the second trick you have played on me, Luke Redman, and I want you to understand that I won’t put up with it—that’s all about it. If you expect to keep me here, you are deceived for once in your life, if you have never been before. Whenever I get ready to go home, I shall go; and all the boys and bloodhounds and Indians in your whole gang can’t prevent me.”
“Can’t! Wal, I’ll mighty soon show you. If you’re going to get your back up an’ act onreasonable, we’ll have to tie you, too. Barney, take that shootin’-iron away from him.”
The dark scowl on Tom’s face and the determined manner in which he spoke satisfied me that he was very much in earnest, and I thought it might prove a dangerous piece of business for Luke Redman or any of his boys to lay violent hands on him; but to my surprise he gave up his gun without the least show of resistance, and permitted the Dragoons to tie his hands behind his back.
He shook his head threateningly, and kept up a rapid talking during the whole proceeding; and I knew that if ever the opportunity was offered, Luke Redman would suffer for his treachery.
“Thar,” said the robber, “that job’s done, and now we will start on ag’in. But you must be blindfolded first, ’cause we’re goin’ to take you to a place that no man, ’cept them b’longin’ to our crowd, ever looked at.”
As he said this, he took from his pocket a dirty red handkerchief, and tied it over my eyes so tightly that not a ray of light could reach them.
After a few seconds’ delay, during which he was doubtless performing the same operation for Tom, I was lifted from my feet and laid away in the boat, as if I had been a sack of corn, and in a minute or two more I heard the measured dip of paddles and felt the gentle motion of the little vessel as it sped rapidly down the bayou. During the journey, which occupied the better part of the forenoon, no one spoke, and Tom and I were left to the companionship of our own thoughts.
That those of my fellow-prisoner were not of the most agreeable nature was evident from the continuous muttering he kept up and the uneasy manner in which he rolled about on the bottom of the canoe.
My own reflections were far from pleasant, for, aside from the pain occasioned by the cramped position I was compelled to occupy, my mind was kept in a state of anxiety and suspense that was little short of positive torture.
I tried to think as little as possible about myself, and kept my brain busy with other matters.