They sent him back after half an hour, and continued their discussion until the sun was setting.
Then they all came slowly back to the spot where Patsy lay.
The young man who had been speaking when Patsy was captured, was talking with the leader.
“I’m sure it’s the best way,” he was saying.
“Wal, Harry,” returned the leader, “you’ve got a sound nut on yer shoulders, an’ you can talk better’n most of us, but I dunno. Howsomever, we’ll try it. As you say, the main thing is to get the stuff.”
“We certainly can’t get the ransom, if we don’t give ’em a chance to pay it,” said Harry.
The leader nodded.
“After dark,” he said, shortly.
It grew dark early in that deep ravine, but it was not till fully two hours had passed that the gang began to move.