“What’s the matter?” I asked, in some alarm, as he came to a sudden halt.
“Nothing much,” he answered; “only that I must leave you here. I don’t know where you are going, and I don’t propose to let you know where I am going. Besides, it is much harder to follow two than one, and there is no use of us both being captured.”
“Captured?” I repeated, in dismay. “Do you think the officers will follow us?”
“Do I think so? I know they will.”
I was so terrified that my teeth chattered, at this announcement, and he noticed it.
“Don’t get too scared, young one,” he added, consolingly. “They won’t look for you half as much as they will for me. If you travel right straight on, and keep out of their clutches for a week, you’ll be safe.”
“But I haven’t done anything,” I said, tremblingly.
“Oh, yes you have,” said he, with a laugh. “You have broken jail, and that means a year at least, if you’re caught.”
I was so overwhelmed at this dread piece of news that I could only lean up against a convenient fence and stare at him.
“Come, come!” he cried, impatiently, “brace up! They haven’t got you yet. If you go straight through this cornfield you will strike a road that will take you to Columbia. Good-by!”