“Of course I shouldn’t—that is—I should never dream of getting you into trouble, sir.”
Mr Halgrove took his cigar out of his mouth and stared at the speaker.
“I’d wait till you were safe away in America, sir; and even then I wouldn’t let your name be known, you know, as an accomplice.”
Mr Halgrove put his cigar back into his mouth, and changed his cane from his left hand to his right.
“Fetch him here, Julius,” said he, stepping back into the middle of the road.
It was in vain the wretched Jonah howled and called for mercy.
“So you won’t let my name be known as an accomplice! How very kind!”
And he gave practical proof of his gratitude by caning Jonah till both were tired.
“Now good-night,” said Mr Halgrove when he had done, “and thank you for a pleasant evening. I dare say Mr Jeffreys will make up for any little deficiencies on my part if you ask him. Ask him, with my compliments, to show you the little game he played with one of his old school-fellows. Good-night, Mr Trimble. Wish him good-night, Julius.”
Julius once more pinned his affrighted victim to the bank, and then following at his master’s heels, left the bruised and bewildered Jonah to limp home as best he could.