"Worth to me?"
"That is what I said. I am a plain-spoken man, and to me a spade is a spade and not an instrument for upturning the soil."
"But I don't understand you, Captain Brentford. If you mean what is it worth in money, let me state that I am not worth ten dollars, all told, at the present moment."
"I know exactly what you have in your pocket, a five dollar goldpiece and four dollars in United States scrip that won't be worth anything after the Confederacy gets done with the North."
"Then what are you driving at?"
"You have something else about you which might prove of far more value to me than money."
"And that is—" began Deck, hesitatingly.
"Information. Now do you understand?"
The cat was out of the bag, and the major drew a long breath. At the same time a look of deep scorn came into his loyal eyes.
"So you wish me to buy my liberty through what information I may be able to give you concerning the Union troops and their proposed movements?" he said slowly.