"There must be some kind of a bargain made whereby we can take car-fares and expenses out of the show."
Although the majority of the prisoners were responsible for the deed which committed them to prison, not one seemed willing to give an evening's work, in order to pay a portion of the amount exacted.
The fines were so large in the aggregate, considering the value of the property taken, that all felt as if it would be the proper thing to let the town support them for a time.
To the manager the case presented itself in a different aspect.
He had made dates ahead, and if the company failed to keep them, after having already disappointed the public once, his position would be that of a veritable bankrupt with whom the owners of the halls would refuse to transact business.
Therefore it was that he spent considerable time urging his company to do as he hoped the squire might approve of, and finally, much to Jet's mental discomfort, he succeeded in extracting a promise from each that he would agree to go on the stage, and afterward return to the jail.
Then he went to try his powers of persuasion on the squire.
During the afternoon the other member of the party who was at liberty, reported that the matter had been arranged satisfactorily, and "dodgers" were now being distributed around the town calling upon the people to aid in "rescuing from imprisonment a number of gentlemen, whose exuberance of spirit rather than evil propensities, had plunged them into sore distress."
More than one of the company predicted that the appeal would be a signal failure, and Jet earnestly hoped these "exuberant gentlemen" would prove truthful prophets.
Evening came, and with the shadows of night the constables arrived to conduct the performers to the hall.