“I won’t exactly give it to you,” said Andy; “but you can take it.”
So saying, he drew a large wallet from his inside pocket, and, before his companion could grasp it, threw it some rods away by the roadside.
“There,” he said; “you see I didn’t give it to you, though I can’t help your taking it.”
His companion’s eyes glistened as he saw the plethoric wallet lying by the roadside.
“Stop the horse!” he exclaimed, jerking at the reins. “I’ll get out here.”
“All right!” said Andy. “You’ll be sure to write to Miss Peabody that I couldn’t help giving you the money?”
“Oh, yes! What a simpleton he is!” thought the highwayman, as he sprang from the buggy, and hurried in the direction of the wallet, now some little distance back.
As soon as he had gotten rid of his companion, Andy brought down his whip with emphasis on the back of his spirited horse, and dashed over the road at great speed.
The young man smiled as he heard the flying wheels.
“He’s pretty well scared,” he thought. “Well, he can go to Cranston as fast as he pleases, now that I have what I was after.”