Van Curter looked on zealously as the hawker tumbled over his goods upon the floor, and turned over its contents. He then examined the pack itself, and found nothing. Boston put the things back, saying, that “Dutchmen had sometimes light fingers as well as heavy bodies.”
Van Curter now called in two men, who searched the hawker with great care. They found nothing.
“I told you so before you begun,” said he. “You wouldn’t believe me. Perhaps you will next time, and save yourself trouble.”
The fellows went out, and Van Curter begun again, with the air of a man without hope:
“Did you come here alone?”
“Yes, I did. What will you ask next? I’d like to have you get done as soon as you can, for I want to be at work. I’m losing money on you.”
A light came into the face of the other. “You like money, then?”
“I ain’t much ahead of any Dutchman of my acquaintance, then. They like money. Of course I like money. Why not?”
“Then I have not been holding out the right inducement for you to speak.”
“You are right in your head, old lad. I don’t speak without a proper inducement.”