“Now, we’ll see if you make a sneak down the river!” Mose cried triumphantly. “The best way for you to get away from this creek is to lay down about a hundred and fifty dollars.”
“I didn’t know there was so much money in the world!” laughed Alex.
“If your chums don’t come in one hour,” Mose went on, “we’ll take possession of your boat. This man here,” pointing over his shoulder with his thumb, “is a constable! Ain’t you, Clint? And he can sell your boat right here on the river bank. Can’t you, Clint? We’ll see if these sports are coming down here and destroy our property without paying for it!”
In all his experience in river journeys, Alex had never been confronted by so puzzling a proposition. He knew that the rivermen had no claim upon him whatever, although he considered Mose entitled to some compensation for his friendly act. Still he realized that for the time being the fellows held the whip hand.
It happened that he had considerable money—two or three hundred dollars in his possession, having taken charge of the expense fund only a few days before. His inclination now was to pay the men the money demanded and get away. Then he reasoned that the exhibition of such a sum of money would only arouse the greed of the outlaws. That they would never let him depart with any money at all in his possession, he knew very well. It was a trying situation.
While he stood deliberating over the problem, a a loud hail came from upstream and turning he saw the coal tow sweeping down the river.
“Hold that boat!” shouted a harsh voice from one of the foremost barges. “Hold that boat ’till we get there.”
Scenting an additional profit in the arrival of the tow, Mose sprang into his skiff and rowed out. As the first barge came down, Alex saw two men spring into the skiff which was at once headed for the shore. The two men lounging on the houseboat at once sprang over to the deck of the Rambler, the man with the rusty shotgun keeping it in full view.
When the skiff reached the Rambler, the two men clambered on deck while Mose ran the skiff up into the creek. The two men were extremely well-dressed although their clothing showed connection with the water of the river and the smut of the coal barges. They were both very much excited, and the first thing one of them did was to shake his fist under Alex’s, nose.
“Now, you young thief!” he shouted. “We’ve got you at last!”