Money they would have, and mighty quick, too! And a plan to obtain it had come to both men at almost the same moment—Flannigan and the payroll!
It was the custom of the foreman to take a trip to the Junction, a station on the railroad about ten miles from the logging camp, where the station agent always had ready an express package containing several thousand dollars, to be used to pay off the men, and to defray the expenses of the camp.
This trip was always taken on the last day of the month, and now that was only five days away!
What a thought! What fools they had been not to think of it before! To be able to get revenge and at the same time secure what was to them a fortune, to revel and drink and gamble to their heart’s desire!
“Be gobs!” said Larry, “that’s the finest scheme that iver came down the pike!”
“It sure ees!” said the little Frenchman; and then they fell to work in good earnest to arrange their wicked plot.
“There’s only wan road back to camp, as yez well know, Jacques, me mon,” said Larry, joyfully. “An’ do yez moind the sharp turn in the road about six miles this side o’ the Junction?”
“Oui, I know heem!” said Jacques.
“Well, that’s the spot to do the job,” said Larry. “If he wuz on foot, he might take the short cut back to camp, but with the buggy, he can’t hilp himself goin’ round by the road.”
“Dat ees goot; dat ees bien goot!” said the little Frenchman. “Before he can say one petit word, we will have heem by ze t’roat, and zen—” Here Jacques, in an excess of fiendish exultation at the thought of having his enemy at last in his power, rolled over and over in the grass, and then, springing to his feet, executed a series of clumsy steps and only stopped when, his limbs failing him, he dropped breathlessly to the ground, while Larry sat grinning at his pal, fully sympathizing with him in his delight at so soon realizing the success of their scheme.