"I promised you fifty dollars if you caught the boy. I'll give you ten for your work."
"Not a cent less than fifty," demanded the man.
"Say twenty-five and you shall have it," replied Tom.
"If you don't give me fifty dollars we are going to fight here!" growled the angry man, at the same time grasping the reins of the Tinker's horse.
As much as Tom the Tinker loved his money, he was not willing to fight for it; he therefore gave the man the full amount. Then he paid a hundred dollars more for the horse which he had borrowed from his accomplice, and which Owen had shot. He then rode off toward Bardstown, uttering imprecations against the boy who had thwarted him, against the man who had robbed him, against everybody and everything. How was he to regain the money which he had lost? For a long time he sought an answer to this question. He seemed to have solved the difficulty before he reached the town, for he was in the best of spirits. Here he consulted several men on some secret business, and then proceeded at once to the cave on the banks of the Beech Fork.
Late that same evening Martin joined Owen at Mr. Sims'.
"Did you see old Hickory?" inquired Owen, sitting up in the bed where he had been sleeping.
"Yes!"
"How is he? Tell me quick! How is the poor old fellow?"
"First tell me about yourself, and then we'll see about the horse!"