CHAPTER XXI.
BEN'S SAVINGS-BANK.
It was not till an hour afterward that Ben rose from his lowlycouch, and, by dint of violent shaking, succeeded in rousingBradley.
"Come, Bradley, wake up!" he cried. "The sun is high, and it is timewe were on our way."
Bradley stretched himself, took a long breath, and said:
"I must have had a long sleep."
"Yes, you dropped off as soon as you lay down, and have slept eversince."
"And did you sleep as soundly?"
"No, I was awake twice during the night," answered Ben.
"I don't know how it is, but I am sleepy still. Seems to me I don'tstand fatigue as well as you. I am sleepy yet, and feel as if Icould sleep all the forenoon."
"The effects of the drug," thought Ben.
Ben considered whether he should tell Bradley what had happenedduring the night. He decided briefly to say a few words about it ina whisper, and postpone a full explanation till later, for theirhostess was below, and could hear any loud word that might beuttered. Bradley was instructed that he must claim to have lost fivedollars.
"But I had a hundred," said Bradley, feeling in his pockets.
"It's all right," whispered Ben. "I'll explain by and by. Not a wordof the loss till after breakfast."
Bradley was quite bewildered, and utterly failed to understand thesituation. But he had considerable faith in his young companion, andwas willing to follow Ben's instructions. They descended the ladder,Ben in advance.
The woman looked at them sharply, to see if they had yet discoveredthe robbery, but each seemed unconcerned.
"They don't know it yet," she said to herself.
"Madam, can you give us some breakfast?" asked Ben politely.
"I'll give you such as I have," said Mrs. Carter, feeling a littleremorse for her husband's theft, and pity for what she supposedtheir penniless condition.
"That will be perfectly satisfactory, and we shall be much obligedto you."
The breakfast was nearly ready in anticipation of their needs, andthey partook of it heartily.
Now came the critical moment.
Ben thrust his hand into his pocket, appearing to search for hismoney, and, after a brief space, withdrew it in apparent dismay.
"I can't find my money," he said.
Mrs. Carter's face flushed, but she said nothing. She anticipatedtheir suspicion, and was ashamed.
"Bradley," said Ben, "have you your money?"
Jake Bradley repeated the search, and he, too, expressed surprise.
"I had it when I went to bed," he added.
"What is it?" asked the woman slowly, turning to them a troubledface. "Have you lost anything?"
"I don't seem to find my money, ma'am," answered Bradley.
"Nor I mine," said Ben. "It's curious."
Mrs. Carter could not tell by their manner whether they suspectedanything, but she had her story ready. It was an invention, but lifewith Jack Carter had left her few compunctions about such a simplematter as telling a lie.
"I missed something myself," she said. "We don't lock our door ofnights, and I reckon some tramp got in last night, when we wereasleep, and robbed us all. Have you lost much, you two?"
"Not much, ma'am. There wasn't much to take."
"It's a pity. I am sorry it happened under my roof. But we sleptvery sound last night, Jack and me, and that's the way it must havecome."
She looked at them critically, to detect, if she could, whether theysuspected her husband or herself, but both the travelers were ontheir guard.
"Did you have much taken, ma'am?" asked Bradley.
"No," she answered hurriedly, rather ashamed of the imposture. "Weain't rich, Jack nor I."
"What I am most sorry for," said Ben, "is that we have nothing topay for our accommodations."
"You're welcome to your lodging and what you've ate," said the womansincerely. "And, if you like, I'll put up some luncheon for you toeat by and by."
"Thank you, ma'am, it will be very acceptable," answered Bradley.
"She's better than her husband," thought Ben.
"After all, we haven't lost much, for we shall get nearly the worthof our lost money."
The woman remarked, with some surprise, that they did not take theirloss much to heart.
"How do you expect to get along without money?" she could not helpasking.
"We're used to roughing it, ma'am," said Bradley. "I'm an old miner,and I think I can find some of my old chums before long."
By this time luncheon was ready, and they soon left the cabin.
Bradley could no longer repress his curiosity.
"Now, Ben, tell me all about it," he said. "Where is our money?"
Ben looked back, to make sure that he would not be overheard, andanswered: "I put it in the bank for security, Jake."
"What do you mean?"
"If I am not very much mistaken, we shall find it hidden in a holein a tree, quarter of a mile away."
"Who put it there?" asked his companion, in surprise.
"I did."
"When?"
"Last night, about midnight, as near as I can guess."
Ben laughed at his companion's evident perplexity, and told him indetail the story of the night's adventure.
"Ben, I'm proud of you," said Bradley, slapping our hero on theback. "There are not many grown men that would have known what to dounder the circumstances."
"I confess that I was very much puzzled myself," said Ben modestly."I could have done nothing if our honest host hadn't fallen asleep."
"He would feel rather provoked if he knew that nearly all of ourmoney is untouched," said Bradley; "that is, if we find it again."
"There's no fear of that," said Ben. "Do you see that tree yonder?"
"The large one?"
"Yes."
"That is my savings-bank."
They quickened their steps till they reached the stately monarch ofthe forest. Ben quickly thrust his hand into the cavity and drew outthe precious parcel which he had committed to it during the night.It was precisely as he had placed it there. No one had touched it.
"Now," said Ben, "I will give you ninety-five dollars. That is theamount of which I picked your pocket last night."
"You are a pickpocket of the right sort," said his companion. "Youtook my money in order to save it."
Their money recovered, they started on their day's march, andnightfall found them twenty miles nearer their destination.