"The boy betrayed me!" he shrieked. "I'll have his life."
"Not much," said Abner. "You'll be lucky to get away with your own. It isn't the boy. I was awake, and heard you ask him to let you in. Now take yourself off."
As he said this he gave a powerful push, and Rudolph reeled a moment and sank upon the ground, striking his head with violence.
"He won't try it again," said Abner, as he shut to the door and bolted it. "I guess he's got enough for once."
Tony stood by, ashamed and mortified. He was afraid Abner would class him with the tramp who had just been ignominiously expelled from the house. He was afraid he, too, would be thrust out of doors, in which case he would be exposed to brutal treatment from Rudolph. But he did not need to fear this. Abner had seen and heard enough to feel convinced that Tony was all right in the matter, and he did not mean to make the innocent suffer for the guilty.
"Now let us go to bed, Tony," he said in a friendly manner. "You don't want to go with him, do you?"
"No," said Tony. "I never want to see him again."
"I shouldn't think you would. He's a rascal and a thief."
"I hope you don't think I wanted to rob the house," said Tony.