“Something good, I suppose, but I don’t know what it is.”
“Rufus,” said Mr. Halsey again after a brief silence, “I want you to give up that box.”
“I tell you I ain’t got your box.”
“You give me that box or I shall set the dogs on you.”
Instantly the smuggler ran to the door to carry out his threat. He whistled shrilly and in response to his call the three huge dogs came bounding into the barn.
“I’ll give you one more chance,” said Mr. Halsey turning again to Rufus. “You give me that box or get it and I’ll give you fifty dollars. If you don’t do it, then we’ll see what you can do against the dogs.”
“I don’t know nothing about your box,” whined Rufus. It was plain now that he was alarmed, but no one knew better than the waiting boys how truthful his statement was.
And then an almost unaccountable event followed. Angered by the persistent refusal of Rufus, Mr. Halsey turned sharply and said to the dogs, “Bite him! Bite him!”
A wild yell from Rufus followed when the three huge dogs at once leaped upon him. They were, however, possessed with the spirit of play and not one of them did the trembling man any harm. In his terror Rufus had slipped from his seat and when he tried to leap to the floor he fell in a heap. A series of wild yells followed when the Great Danes came sniffing about him, apparently puzzled by all the commotion.
Nor did they respond to the repeated demands of Mr. Halsey to attack the prostrate man.