Nothing short of absolute liberty could have revived Master Shindle’s spirits while he was in the embrace of the strong arm of the law.
Although both Tom and Bob assured him they would “see him through all right,” he had a clear idea that their influence must be very slight in the premises.
At the entrance to the station-house, Bob motioned for his friends to halt as the prisoner and his captor disappeared behind the heavy door, and then said in a low but earnest tone:—
“See here, fellers, it won’t do to let Josiah stay there, even if all of us has to go down to the Island for a month. His father would be pretty nigh crazy if he knew his son was arrested, an’ we’ve got to get him out somehow.”
“How you goin’ to do it?” Tom asked anxiously.
“S’posen we wait till that cop comes out, an’ then all hands sneak in and tell the officer in charge jest how it happened? If we agree to take Josiah’s place, he oughter let him go.”
“What do you wait till the policeman leaves for? Why wouldn’t it be better to do the talkin’ now?”
“’Cause that feller’s down on the boys what hang ’round the market, an’ jest as like’s not he’d take us all in.”
It was not necessary they should wait very long for the officer. He had made the charge, and then, his responsibility having ceased, was returning to his beat as soon as possible.
The boys were careful not to impede his progress, and when he emerged from the station-house they were hidden from view; but three minutes later, when the sound of his retreating footsteps told that he had turned the corner, all re-appeared once more, ready to rescue their unfortunate companion, if it could be done with no other weapons than their tongues.