"Shall you try to finish the job we were talkin' about?"
"No; things are so hot jest now that it won't pay to take any more risks than are absolutely necessary. What we want is to get out of this portion of the country as soon as possible."
"All right. I'll leave you to manage the rest of the business, an' promise to follow orders."
"I think it's about time you said that, Jim. If my plans had been carried out in the first place we wouldn't be in sich a muss; but could be havin' the cream of the pickin's at the fair."
"Well, what's the use of harpin' on that all the time? The thing has been done, an' we've got to make the best of it. Do you think it'll be safe to leave this cub here alone while we're away?"
"It will be when I get through with him," was the grim reply, and Sam, terrified by the vagueness of this remark, more even than he had been by the plain language previously used, cried, piteously:
"Please don't leave me here alone to-night! I'll pull the boat, an' do everything you say, without so much as yippin'."
"Them as starts out in the detective business have to take what comes, 'specially when their own foolishness brings it about. You joined our party of your own accord, my son, an' must put up with what we choose to give."
Sam said nothing more. He was reaping what he had sowed, and decided that matters could not be much worse even if he was caught trying to escape, therefore he resolved to take desperate chances in an effort to give his captors the slip.
There was no opportunity to make the attempt, on this night at least, for when Phil had finished smoking he proceeded in a very methodical manner to secure the prisoner.