While Tom and Joe were talking in this way, the rest of the party had gathered about Silas, whom they were trying to induce to join in the general hunt that was to be made on the following day.
Dan, being left to himself, listened with one ear to what Tom was saying to his brother, and with the other tried to keep track of the conversation that was going on in his father's neighborhood.
When he heard Tom say that a reward had been offered for the apprehension of the robbers, as well as for the recovery of the property they had stolen, he stepped closer to him, and whispered:
"Do you know how much it is?"
"Five thousand dollars for both of them, or half of it for one," answered Tom. "Now, Dan, there's a chance for you to make yourself rich."
"But that there hant—" began Dan.
"Is no hant at all," replied Tom. "Why, man alive, there are no such things, and I thought everybody knew it. I took a good look at this one while we were up there to-night, and found that it was nothing but a long pole with a stuffed pillow-case on one end of it for a head, and a short cross-piece for the shoulders. The man who managed it and made it act as if it were about to spring at you was behind the bushes out of sight. He and his companion did the yelling, and you never hurt either one of them, although your four charges of shot tore the pillow-case all to pieces."
"Yes," replied Dan, "Pap 'lowed that we'd oughter fired into the bresh."
"Exactly. If you had showed a little more pluck, you and your father might have had ten thousand dollars to divide between you. As it turned out, Joe is entitled to only a third of it, but he'll get that, sure."
"Dog-gone such luck!" exclaimed Dan, in a tone of deep disgust.