on't work for him no longer. I'll speak
to him about it to-morrow."

Martin relapsed into silence. Rufus had given him something to think
about, which disturbed him considerably. Though he had been disappointed
in the contents of the box, he had not for a moment doubted the good
faith of his confederate, and he was proportionately incensed now that
the latter had appropriated seven dollars to his one. Considering that
he had done all the work, and incurred all the danger, it did seem
rather hard.

There was one bed in the room, rather a narrow one.

"I'm goin' to bed," said Martin, at length. "I guess the bed'll be big
enough for us both."

"Thank you," said Rufus, who did not fancy the idea of sleeping with his
step-father. "If you'll give me one of the pillows, I'll sleep on the
floor."

"Just as you say, but you'll find it rather hard sleepin'."

"I shan't mind."

This was the arrangement they adopted. Martin took off his coat and
vest, and threw himself on the bed. He was soon asleep, as his heavy
breathing clearly indicated. Rufus, stretched on the floor, lay awake
longer. It occurred to him that he might easily take the key of the door
from the pocket of Martin's vest, which lay on the chair at his bedside,
and so let himself out of the room. But even then it would be uncertain
whether he could get out of the house, and he would have to leave the
tin box behind him. This he hoped to get hold of through Humpy's
assistance. On the whole, therefore, it seemed best to wait a little
longer.

CHAPTER XXIII.

ESCAPE.

Humpy made up his mind to accept our hero's offer. Fifty dollars was to
him a small fortune, and he saw no reason why he should not earn it. The
brutal treatment he had received from Smith removed all the objections
he had at first felt.

Now, how was he going to fulfil his part of the compact?

To release Rufus would be comparatively easy. He happened to know that
the key of his own room in the attic would also fit the door of the
chamber in which our hero was confined. The difficulty was to get
possession of the tin box. He did not even know where it was concealed,
and must trust to his own sagacity to find out.

To this end he watched his employer carefully whenever he got a chance
to do so without being observed, hoping he might take the box out from
its place of concealment. Finally Smith noticed the boy's glances, and
said, roughly, "What are you looking at, boy? Do you think