'No,' said he; 'the sum is too large—six thousand dollars! I know of no one who will become bail for me in such an amount. Had it come but a day later, one single day later,' said he, clasping his hands tightly together, 'and he, not I would have been the victim!'
'Well, Sir,' said Mr. Chicken, 'there being no bail, in course there is no alternative. You must go to gaol; rooms small, but well ventilated. You'll find yourself very comfortable there arter a fortnight or so. There is folks that quite like the place.'
Grosket made no reply to this comforting remark; but stood with his hand resting on the table, and his brows knit in deep thought. At last he said, as if coming to some sudden resolution:
'At least, it's worth the trial. I am working for him, and if I fail I shall be no worse off than I now am. Come,' said he; 'I know a man who I think will become bail for me. If he don't—if he don't,' said he in an under tone. 'Well, well, I'll try it.'
'Who is he?' inquired Mr. Chicken, cautiously.
'No matter,' replied Grosket; 'you'll see presently.'
Mr. Chicken felt far from satisfied with this reply. It had a tincture of evasion about it; and a vague apprehension of receiving no other bail than that cheap and convenient kind, generally known as 'Leg-bail,' flitted across his imagination, puzzling him not a little; for Grosket was a brawny fellow, whose thews and sinews were not to be trifled with. Mr. Chicken thought that he was in a crisis; and was beginning seriously to deliberate on the propriety of raising a hue-and-cry on the spot, without waiting for farther indication of a disposition to escape, when the prisoner, apparently observing his perplexity, cut it short, by adding:
'Don't be frightened, my old fellow; I'm acting in good faith. If I don't get bail, I'll go with you as quietly as you could wish.'
'And you are out-and-out in earnest? You mean to get it? No gammon, is there?'
'I'll get it if I can: If I can't, I'm your prisoner. I'll play you no tricks.'