Will was told to "Take a seat youngster, and pitch in, for you don't know how soon yer rations will be cut short."
He had eaten but a light breakfast, and nothing since, so he obeyed the injunction with a gusto, winning the admiration of the men at his pluck in not losing his appetite when his fate hung so in the balance of uncertainty.
But Will had made up his mind that though he was in a tight place, he would not despair, but find some way to get out, and the means of doing so did not worry him until the time came for action.
He had read the papers, and he knew that almost under the eyes of the police there were bands of evil men who would rob and kill without mercy to gain gold.
That he had fallen into the hands of some such wicked men he did not doubt; but he did not despair of working out his own salvation in some way, when he was assured just what their game was that they intended to win by playing him as a trump card.
So Will ate his supper with apparent relish, and rising, thanked them politely and resumed his former seat.
"You've been well raised, boy," said Jerry. "What is your name?"
"Will Raymond, sir," said the boy, returning to his old name, for while with the colonel he had taken that of Ivey, at his request.
"What do you do?"
"Anything I can earn money at to support my sick mother and little sister."