“Five miles! Whew! that is a distance. I say, haven’t you got room for one more?”
Ordinarily Andy would have been entirely willing to take in a passenger, being naturally sociable and obliging, but now he was made cautious by the nature of his errand and the knowledge of the large sum of money which he was carrying. He halted his horse and looked perplexed.
“Come, be obliging,” said the stranger, with affected frankness.
“You are a stranger,” said Andy, hesitatingly.
“Well, suppose I am. I haven’t got the smallpox or any other contagious disorder,” laughed the young man.
“I wasn’t thinking of that.”
“Come, you don’t mind making a little money. I’ll give you a dollar if you’ll give me a ride.”
“It isn’t worth a dollar,” said Andy, honestly.
“Oh, I don’t insist upon paying so much! If you’ll take me for fifty cents, all the better.”
“I might as well,” thought Andy. “Of course, he can know nothing of my errand, and it’s an easy way to earn fifty cents. I don’t want to be too cowardly.” “Well,” he said, after a pause, “I’ll take you. Jump in!”