"The boys who got into the scrape ought to pay you for helping them out," I replied.
"I don't like to be turned out of my bed in the night to do such a job for nothing."
"You must make them pay you."
"They said they would, or that the schoolmaster over to Parkville would, for he sent them to look out for some boys who had run away."
"Did they?" I replied, glancing significantly at Bob Hale, for this acknowledgment implied that Mr. Parasyte had sent the deserters to do the work they had accomplished. "But I don't see that we have anything to do with the matter. If I were you, I would hold the other boats till they paid me for my trouble."
"I'll do that."
"How much do they owe you?" asked Bob.
"Well, I don't know; they ought to give me a couple of dollars, I think," replied the man.
We passed a few words among ourselves, and Tom handed the man two dollars.
"That's to pay for saving this boat," said Tom. "We ought not to pay it, for our boat was stolen from us; but you must collect as much more before you let the other boats go."