This was Sam's opportunity, and, in order to cover himself with glory, he slaughtered the truth in the most shocking manner.
"Well," he said, in a consequential way, "when Dan an' me an' Teddy saw the thieves carryin' stuff down to that old barn I wanted to rush in an' arrest both; but the other fellows was scared an' come ashore to talk with Hazelton so's he'd tell 'em what to do. Then I jes' made up my mind to carry on the job myself, an' went back."
"Where?" the 'Squire asked.
"To the barn to get the stuff. While I was diggin' it up the men come back, an' the minute they saw who was on their trail they got frightened."
"And who was on their trail?" the 'Squire interrupted.
"Why, me, of course. They rushed in, an' I had the awfullest row; but it was two to one, an' so I got the worst of it. They had to work mighty hard before gettin' me tired, an' then all the stuff was dug up an' put in the boat. My craft was upset an' sent adrift, so's to make it look as if I was dead, an' we went down the creek six or seven miles, where we hid in the woods. Phil came back here after more goods what had been stolen, an' they was goin' to skip the country, when there was a big row, an' Long Jim allowed he'd come to the fair once more. Phil was mad, an' got pretty drunk, an' after that I had my innings. I turned to an' lashed him up same's I'd been; but we had an' awful fight. It takes more'n one man to git away with me."
"Where is this fellow now?" the 'Squire interrupted again.
"Down the creek, tied up so's he can't hardly breathe, an' he must be pretty near sober by this time."
"If he was very drunk I do not understand how he could have fought so hard."
"Well, he did; but I got the best of him, an' what's more, I know where all the stuff that's been stolen is hid."