"Not much 'fore morning, likely. The boss sent for 'em; said that he had a job on hand that might take all night."
He then turned to Jack, "Hungry?"
"No," replied Jack, "I had supper, but I'd like to get these wet clothes off and lie down if you aren't going to let me go."
"Well, I s'pose they do feel kinder oneasy. Say, Mag, take him upstairs and lock him in the middle room. He can take his duds off, and they'll dry out by morning. I'm hungry's a bear and want supper, quick."
"Seem's if you're always hungry," she growled, as she motioned Jack to follow her. "I'll be back in a jiff, and supper'll be ready's soon I can git it."
She led him up a flight of dark rickety stairs and, passing along a narrow hallway, pushed him into a room, saying, "There's a cot there, and ye can strip and wring out yer duds and they'll dry by morning. But say, kid, don't yer try to get away, for take it from me, if Jake catches ye trying anything, he'll do ye up for keeps."
She left him a small lamp with which she had lighted the way up, and going out, closed and locked the door.
"Guess they forgot all about that one hundred dollars," thought Jack, as he held up the light and looked about him. The room contained no window, but there was a small opening in the ceiling, which seemed to open into a room above. The only thing in the room was an old broken cot.
"Well," he thought, as he set the light on the floor, "I wasn't long in getting into trouble after I landed in Boston, that's sure; still I don't see how I could have avoided it. It must have been that man Reed who threw me over. He probably followed me, but I don't see why he tried to kill me. Perhaps he thought I had a clue as to where Bob is," he mused.
While these thoughts were running through his mind, he had been taking off his wet clothes. Stripping to the skin, he wrung out what water he could, and then spread them out on the floor. "Good thing it's so hot," he muttered, "or I'd get a fine cold, but I guess there's no danger in here, as it's hot enough to fry eggs. Well, guess I might as well take things as easy as possible."