But it was too late with the Ethiopean; for as the word 'buglahs,' issued the second time from his lips, he was struck upon the head with a club and knocked senseless.
'Here,' said The Lifter, 'take this,' handing the bag of booty to
Murfrey.
In an instant the band of desperadoes were making their flight through the pines; but not before several bullets had been sent whizzing among them. At the roadside stood the horses, and each man vaulted into the saddle.
'Here, Capteen, you better have the shiners,' the Lifter said, taking the heavy and rather clumsy sack from Joe, and flinging it across the croup of his father's saddle. 'It is worth carrying, and worth fighting for.' Then the robbers were away over the frosty road like a sudden blast of a wintry wind.
CHAPTER XII.
THE CAPTURE OF THE 'MOST' BEAUTIFUL MAIDEN.
The ride was a most furious one and there was not the ghost of a chance, had the sun been at the meridian, of overtaking those fleet-footed beasts. When they were many miles beyond the old farm-house the Captain pulled rein and waited for his son to gain his side.
'What has been your luck? I think that it has been good.'
'I am thinkeen the same myself. I eased him of half what he has.' Then the Convert entered into a careful detail of the robbery, the circumstances of which my reader already knows. When he was ended the robber chief extended his hand.
'Well-done, boy; this is worth all the house-breaking we have had since we came to the swamp.' As he said these words he turned half towards Murfrey, who, despite his jealousy, and his anger at the remark, was, nevertheless radiant as he contemplated his share of the booty.