While he was thinking about it, the cabin hove in sight, and at the same time an exclamation from Dan called him back to earth again.
Joe looked up, and saw his father sitting motionless on a chair in front of the cabin. His double-barrel lay upon the ground within easy reach of him, his elbows were resting upon his knees, and his chin was upheld by the palms of his hands. He appeared to be gazing steadily at some object that was hidden from Joe's view by the corner of the house.
"How do you reckon he feels over the trick we played on him this morning?" said Dan, with a grin. "He thinks he's a sharp one, pap does, but he ain't got no business along of me."
"If there was any trick played upon him, you did it, and not I," answered Joe. "Father hasn't worked half as hard as we have, and yet he is just as well—What in the name of wonder is that?"
While Joe was speaking, he and Dan moved around the corner of the house, and then the object at which Silas was looking so fixedly was disclosed to view.
It was a man who was sitting on a bench beside the door, and who was so closely wrapped up in a clothes-line that he could scarcely stir one of his fingers.
Silas and the Bank Robber
Hearing the sound of their footsteps, the man, whoever he was, slowly turned his head toward the corner of the cabin, whereupon Silas shouted out, in a savage voice:
"None of that there, I tell you! You can't get away, 'cause you're worth a power of money to me, and I'm bound to hold fast to you till—Human natur'!" yelled Silas, jumping to his feet, with both barrels of his gun cocked. "Oh, it's you, is it? I kinder thought it was t'other robber coming to turn his pardner loose."