“Keep your plunder, friend,” said a voice that Jake did not remember to have heard before. “We don’t own it, and neither are we officers. We don’t care how much you steal. Where’s your boat?”
“Down to the beach,” replied Jake, who thought this a little ahead of any thing he had ever heard of before.
“Well, do you want to earn five dollars?” asked the man, in hurried tones. “Then shoulder your bags again and come on. We want you to set us across the lake.”
Jake obeyed the order to “come on,” but he did it with fear and trembling. How did he know but this was a ruse on the part of the two men to get him out of the cellar so that they could both pounce upon him? He followed them up the steps because he was afraid to hang back; but when he got to the top he watched for an opportunity to throw down his bags and take to his heels. But first he took as good a look at the men as he could in the darkness. They both wore slouch hats and long dark-colored ulsters, and each carried a small traveling bag in his hand. In appearance, they were not unlike the sportsmen and tourists who patronized the Indian Lake hotels in summer. They tried to make Jake believe that that was what they were; but the boy was sharp enough to discover a flaw in their story at once.
“We’ve been spending a month up at the hotel hunting and fishing,” said the one who had thus far done all the talking. “This afternoon we received a telegram urging our immediate return to New London, and we are trying to get there now.”
“There ain’t no huntin’ up to Injun Lake this time of the year, ’cause it’s agin the law,” said Jake, to himself. “An’ this ain’t the best way to get to New London nuther, if they’re in sich a hurry as they make out. Why didn’t they hire a wagon to take ’em to the railroad? It’s a mighty fur ways through the woods,” he added, aloud, “an’ you won’t get there half so quick as the cars could take you.”
“It is too late to think about that now,” was the rather impatient reply. “We’ve got started, and we can’t waste time in going back. Can you set us across the lake?”
“I reckon,” answered Jake. “But I shall have to carry you one at a time, ’cause my boat is small, an’ won’t hold up three fellers at a load.”
While this conversation was going on Jake, who did not believe a word of the story to which he had listened, was watching for a chance to slip away in the darkness; but the men, as if divining his intention, walked one on each side of him, and even took hold of his arms to help him over the rough places. When they reached the woods one went on ahead and the other brought up the rear; so there was no opportunity for escape.
“There’s the boat.” said Jake, at length. “Now which one of you shall I take over first? An’ where’s that five dollars you promised me fur settin’ you across?”