CHAPTER XVIII.
AN EVENING CALL.
To lie awake in momentary expectation of a hostile attack, fromwhich there is apparently no escape, is by no means a comfortableposition. The cabin was in the heart of the woods, with no otherdwelling within twenty miles, so far as Ben knew. In fact, if itwere true, as Jack had said, that there were no mines near at hand,there were probably no neighbors, except, possibly, of Jack's kind.
The question recurred to Ben: Was he willing to surrender his money,and go forth penniless, or should he attempt to escape or resist?
"If Jake would only wake up!" he thought, surveying, withperplexity, the recumbent form at his side.
But Jake was as senseless as a log, and the attempt to rouse himwould inevitably attract attention below and precipitate the attack,besides leaving them utterly penniless.
There was another idea which occurred to our hero: Could he secretehis own money and Jake's, or the greater part of it, and thus saveit from the clutches of his dishonest host?
If it had been in the form of bank-bills, there might have been somechance of doing this, but it was not so easy to conceal gold pieces.While considering this question, Ben rose softly and looked out ofthe window. Strictly speaking, there was no window, but a hole aboutfifteen inches square, screened by a curtain of coarse cotton cloth.This Ben moved aside, and looked out.
It was not a very dark night. In the half-light Ben was able to seea considerable distance. The height of the opening from the groundwas probably not much over twelve feet, as well as the boy couldestimate. There would have been no difficulty in his getting out andswinging to the ground, but to this move there were two objections:First, he would be sure to be heard by his enemy below; and,secondly, he was unwilling to leave Jake in the power of the enemy.
While he was standing at the window he heard the noise of some onemoving below. The heavy step convinced him that it was Jack. Hecould not leave his place and lie down without being detected, andhe hastily decided to remain where he was.
In this way he might possibly gain time.
Jack softly stepped from round to round of the ladder, and presentlyhis head peered above the floor. He started angrily when he saw theboy at the window.
"What are you about there, boy?" he demanded roughly.
Ben turned, and said composedly: "I am looking out."
"Why are you not in bed and asleep, like your friend?"
"I tried to sleep, sir, but I couldn't."
"Do you expect to get to sleep looking out of that hole?"
"I thought I'd see how light it was."
"Well, I can't have you trampin' round, keepin' the old woman and meawake. I wouldn't have let you sleep here ef I had known that's theway you spend the night."
"I beg pardon if I disturbed you," said Ben politely.
"Well, that don't do no good, your apologizin'. Jest lay down andget to sleep in a hurry, or I'll know the reason why."
"All right, sir," said Ben submissively.
"What's the name of that chap that's with you?" continued Jack.
"It's Jake Bradley."
"He's a sensible man, he is. He lays down and goes to sleep, whileyou're trampin' round the room and lookin' out of doors. You won'tsee nothin' to pay you."
"I think you're right, sir. I'll lie down and go to sleep."
"You'd better. Me and the old woman can't be kept awake all night."
When Ben had resumed his place on the floor, the intruder descendedthe ladder. Though it would have been easy enough to execute hisplan of robbery now, he evidently preferred to wait till both thetravelers should be asleep.
It was not true, as he had said, that he had heard Ben moving about.In fact, it had been a surprise to him to find the boy up, but thisafforded a convenient and plausible pretext for his intrusion, andhe had availed himself of it.