to get off with his stolen property even if it had fallen
into the hands of a worse set of thieves. I soon heard them at work on
the safe in the bank. Of course I thought of my fuse, but it was a
dozen feet away, the other side of the counter, and I could see not a
shadow of hope of getting at it.

I think I sat there as much as two hours, listening to the noise in
the next building, when Pike came in and said:

"You'll be glad to hear, Jud, that we're getting along beautiful on
that safe. We're a-going to blow the stuffing out of it the next thing
_you_ know. Reckon if you ain't particular we'll just borrow a sleigh
we see out here and a set of Sours's harness for a couple of our
horses when we go away, 'cause we think the specie may be a little
heavy. Besides, we're calculating there may be some other stuff around
town worth taking off--Winchesters and such agricultural and
stock-raising implements," and he laughed. He seemed to be in very
good humor.

He went back, and for another long while I heard nothing but steady
drilling on the safe and a little of their talk, though I could not
catch much of that. Sometimes, too, I could hear Kaiser barking. He
was locked in the hotel, and I thought he knew I was in trouble and
wanted to get out and help me.

After what seemed hours Pike came in again.

"We blow 'er open now very shortly," he said. "A reg'ler little Fourth
o' July celebration of our own, hey, Jud?" Then he laughed and went
on: "We need that money and you bet it's going to come handy." He
looked at me, came closer with the lantern, and said:

"Jud, what d'ye say to coming in with us and having your share like a
man? You're a good one, if you _are_ young, and we can find plenty of
work for you, and always you get your share."

"No," I said, "I don't care to."

He looked at me sharply a moment and then went on:

"Just as you please, of course. But me and the boys was talking it
over and we calculated it was the best way to dispose of you, a _pile_
the best for you and _some_ better for us."

I had kept looking straight into his eyes, under his big eyebrows.
"No," I said, "I won't do it."

"Oh, take your choice," he answered, "take your choice. Just as you
think best, of course. Only you know the old saying about how dead men
don't tell any tales. And if you come in with us you get your share,
just the same as if you'd done your part of the work."

I said nothing. He waited a minute, then went out a