probably there were no two persons then living whom randall at that moment cared less about seeing than bill sturdy and our hero. though astonished beyond expression to see them there, his position was too critical to allow him to waste time in giving expression to his surprise.
[284]
"let me go, you scoundrel!" he exclaimed, making a desperate effort to elude bill's grasp.
he might as well have striven to tear himself from the grasp of a lion.
"not so fast, mr. randall," said bill sturdy.
"you mutinous scoundrel!" hissed the mate.
"you forget," said his captor, coolly, "that we are not now on the quarter-deck. here i am your equal, mr. randall, and perhaps you may find me a little ahead."
"let me go, if you know what is best for yourself," ejaculated randall, almost foaming at the mouth.
"if you know what is best for yourself," said bill composedly, "i would advise you to be quiet."
"and now," he continued, tightening his grasp a little, "just let me know what mischief you have been up to?"
"i am not responsible to you," said randall haughtily.
"responsible or not, you must give an account of yourself."
"if you will let me go, i will make it worth your while."
"do you think i am mean enough to accept[285] a bribe?" exclaimed sturdy, with honest indignation. "let me know what you have been doing."
"this old man!" said randall, curbing his pride, "foolishly thought i meant to rob him, and shrieked for assistance."
"is that all?" asked bill, keenly glancing at the box of gold. "things look as if you were going to rob him in reality."
"i am not in the habit of thieving," said randall, haughtily.
at this moment the miser, who had been insensible, began to show signs of returning consciousness.
"go and get some water, charlie," said bill. "the old man looks as if he might come to with a little help."
there was a pail half full of water standing near by. charlie sprinkled peter's face, and a moment after he gasped and opened his eyes. he cast a frightened glance from face to face till his eyes rested on randall, when he shuddered, and cried feebly, "take him away, take him away! he will rob me."
"not while i am here to prevent him," returned bill, in a tone of assurance.
"you are friends, then?" said the miser, anxiously.
[286]
"of course we are. did this man attempt to rob you?"
"take care not to make any false accusations, old man," said randall, menacingly.
"speak the truth without fear," said bill sturdy; "i'll bear you out in it. he can't do you any harm."
"he demanded a thousand dollars from me," said the old man, "and when i would not give it to him he was going to help himself."
"what do you say to that, mr. randall?" asked sturdy.
"i say this," said the mate, turning a malignant glance upon the miser, "that it was a regular bargain—a matter of business. this man owed me the money—he knows best what for, and refused to pay it."
"i did not," said peter, hastily, "he had already been paid in full."
"take care, peter, or i may tell what it was for."
"i defy you," said the miser in a quavering tone of defiance. "you are a bad man."
"perhaps you don't know who this boy is?" said randall.
"who is he?" asked peter, doubtfully.
"he is one who has reason to consider you[287] his enemy," said randall, "even more than myself."
at this unexpected statement bill sturdy and charlie looked at each other in surprise.
"do you know this old man, then, charlie?" asked sturdy, at length.
"yes," said our hero; "it is mr. manson, of whom my mother used to hire a room."
"the landlord?"
"yes."
"and what harm has he ever done to you?"
"i don't know," said charlie, shaking his head, "unless," and an anxious look came over his face, "he has distressed her for rent since i have been gone."
"is that so?" demanded the sailor, sternly.
"no, no!" said peter manson, hastily. "she left my tenement a good many months ago."
"and where is she now?" asked charlie, eagerly—for, having just landed, he knew nothing of his mother's whereabouts.
"then you have not seen her?" asked randall, with the sudden thought that he might make better terms for himself by selling his knowledge on the subject.
"no," said charlie. "is she well? tell me, i entreat you, if you know."
[288]
"i do know," said randall, composedly, "both where she is and how she has fared."
"tell me quick."
"that depend upon circumstances. while i am held in custody i have little inducement to do you a favor."
"sturdy will release you, won't you, sturdy. only tell me where my mother is, that i may go to her at once."
"why," said bill, cautiously, "i don't know, exactly. he may be trying a game, and giving us information won't be worth anything."
"you can keep me here till you have sent to ascertain if i have told you the truth."
"no, no," said peter manson, terrified at the prospect, "don't let him stay here. he would rob me."
"rob you," sneered randall; "it looks well in you whose money has been dishonestly gained, to charge me with theft."
"he—you won't mind what he says, gentlemen," said peter manson, trembling. "he only says it to spite me."
"to spite you! yes, you old hunks, i will spite you, and that with a vengeance! hark you, sturdy, i have kept this old man's secret long enough, and though i hate you, and that boy there, i believe i hate him worse. if i will reveal to this boy a secret which will insure[289] to him a property of from twenty to thirty thousand dollars, will you agree to let me go, and give me a thousand dollars?"
"can you do it?" demanded sturdy, in surprise.
"i can."
"well, it ain't for me to say, but if i were charlie here i would close with your terms."
"don't you believe him," said peter, terrified. "he is only making a fool of you. he can't do what he says."
charlie was not a little astonished at the turn affairs had taken.
"i shouldn't wonder," said bill, "if there might be something in this, as long as the old man seems so afraid the secret will be let out."
"you will find that i have told you the truth," said randall; "tell me quickly yes or no. if you decline, you will lose more than i shall."
"then," said charlie, "i will accept your terms so far as i am concerned."
"and i'll bear witness to it," said bill, "if you will carry out your part of the agreement."
"that i will do to your satisfaction. the first thing to be explained is, that in carrying[290] this boy to sea i was only acting as the agent of another."
"and that other!"
"was peter manson—the man you see before you."
"it is false," said the miser, turning ghastly pale.
"moreover," said randall, "i was well paid for the service. i received a thousand dollars."
"oh, oh!" cried the old man, swaying backward and forward—"a thousand dollars in bright gold, and i so poor."
"you see he admits it," said randall.
"and what did he want charlie carried away for?"
"reason enough for that. he feared the boy might learn that it was his wealth which he has been hoarding up."
"mine!" exclaimed charlie, in unbounded surprise.
"did you never hear your mother speak of a certain peter thornton, who by purloining and making off with twenty thousand dollars caused your grandfather to fail?"
[291]
"yes, often."
"that man is peter thornton!" said randall, pointing with his finger to the miser.
the latter half rose from his seat, and then, as if he had received a mortal wound sank to the floor.
"you require no other confirmation of my words," said the mate.
"why my lad, you will be a rich man," said bill sturdy, his face beaming with satisfaction.
"how glad mother will be!" exclaimed charlie. "where is she, mr. randall? i want so much to see her."
the mate gave charlie briefly the information he required, and added, "you will probably need my assistance to establish your claim to the property of which yonder old man has so long deprived you. i shall hold myself at your service, trusting to your honor to pay me the thousand dollars agreed upon."
"you shall not trust in vain, mr. randall," said charlie, promptly. "place me in possession[292] of what is rightfully mine, and you shall have no reason to complain."
"very well, i shall stop at the tremont house for the present. there you or your lawyer will find me. i advise you to employ legal assistance."
"i will do so, and thank you for the suggestion. as soon as i have seen my mother i shall proceed to business."
randall withdrew, but was quickly followed by charlie and his friend.
"where are you going, my lad?" asked the sailor.
"you needn't ask, bill,—to see my best friend, my mother. it is for her sake that i welcome this fortune. she shall never want any more while i have money. we will have a nice little home, where you shall be welcome, bill, always and all the time."
bill pressed the hand of our young hero in his own rough palm, and there was a suspicious moisture about his eyes, but he said nothing.
