"'Amen,' responded the father, rising also and drinking to the pledge 'and, what's more, here's to the goold eagles that'll repay us for our job. And now Phil, let's be movin'.'
"The heavy tread of their feet within the hut as they moved to and fro, to collect the several articles belonging to the equipment of Desborough's canoe, promising fair to cover the sound of our footsteps, I now whispered to Sambo, and we hastily made good our retreat to the point where we left our skiff. In a few minutes, we were again on the lake, paddling swiftly but cautiously towards my gun-boat. I had instructed the sentinels not to hail me on my return, therefore when I gained the deck, it was without challenge or observation of any kind, which could denote to those from whom I had so recently parted, that any one had been absent.
"Again I had thrown myself upon the deck, and was ruminating on the singular events of the evening, associating the rich prize, which I now already looked upon as my own, with the rascality of those who, imagining me to be their dupe, were so soon to become mine; and moreover meditating such measures as I fancied most likely to secure a result so opposite to that which they anticipated, when the loud quick sharp hail of the sentinels announced that a craft of some kind was approaching.
"'Want to see the officer,' shouted a voice which I knew to be Desborough's. 'Somethin' very partick'lar to tell him, I guess.'
"Permission having been granted, the canoe came rapidly up to the side, and in the next minute, the tall heavy form of the settler stood distinctly defined against the lake, as he stepped on the gun-wale of the boat.
"It must be needless here to repeat the information of which he was the bearer," pursued Grantham. "Its purport was, in every sense, what I had so recently overheard in the hut.
"'And how am I to know that this tale of yours is correct,' I demanded when he had concluded, yet in a tone that seemed to admit, I was as much his dupe as he could reasonably desire. 'You are aware, Desborough, that your character for loyalty does not stand very high, and this may prove but a trick to get me out of the way. What good motive can you give for my believing you?'
"'The best I calculate as can be,' he unhesitatingly answered, 'and that is my own interest. I don't make no boast of my loyalty, as you say, to be sure, Mr. Grantham, but I've an eye like a hawk for the rhino, and I han't giv' you this piece of news without expectin' a promise that I shall git a purty considerable sum in eagles, if so be as you succeeds in wallopin' the prize.'
"'Walloping—what do you call walloping, man?'
"'What do I call wallopin'? why licking her slick and clean out, and gettin' hold of the dust to be sure.'