Then he added, earnestly:
"If you will just let me explain, Mr. Johnson, you will see that I had good reason for being on your island."
"Very likely," said Mr. Johnson, with a sarcasm that stung the lad to the quick. "But there is just one chance I'll give you. If you will tell where the rest of your gang is, and help us to capture them, I'll do my best to save you; otherwise the law must take its course."
"How can I, when I have no accomplices and have not robbed you?" asked Budd, out of patience with the obstinacy of the angry man.
"The saying that 'A lie well stuck to is as good as the truth' won't apply in your case, at least," remarked Mr. Johnson, with rising anger; and for the remainder of the passage he in no way addressed his prisoner.
Arriving at the village which Budd had left only five hours before under such happy circumstances, Mr. Johnson left him on the boat, with the hired man to look out for him, while he went in search of the proper authorities to perfect the lad's arrest. He had no difficulty in finding the officers, and at eight o'clock Budd had been put into the village lock-up, with his preliminary trial before the local justice assigned for ten o'clock the next day.
But Budd was in no sense desponding; his head was never clearer, nor had he ever thought more rapidly or planned better to meet a grave emergency. He was growing older and wiser very fast. He knew, moreover, what were his rights.
"Mr. Avery," he had said to the constable, as he was about to leave him for the night, "I want Mr. John Benton and Peter Wright subpoenaed to appear as witnesses for me in the morning. I also want a messenger sent over to Fox Island for Judd Floyd. Mr. Ben Taylor will go, and my boat, as you know, is at the wharf. Please hurry this part of my request, for I have got to send Judd over to Bristol before my trial. Of course I will pay all necessary expenses."
Mr. Avery promised to attend to these matters, and evidently did so at once, for at nine o'clock he appeared again with Judd Floyd, and also announced that the two witnesses named had had due notice to appear at the trial.
As soon as Judd and he were left alone Budd took Mr. Dane's card from his pocket, and asked his chum if he would go over to Bristol for that gentleman and bring him over as a witness.