“I was just a-studying about that when you come up and scared me,” replied Silas, dropping the butt of his gun to the ground, and leaning heavily upon the muzzle. He never could stand alone for any length of time; he always wanted something to support him. “What do you think I had better do about it? I don’t much like to keep him here, ’cause-- Why, just look a-here, Joey,” added Silas, moving up to the door, and pointing to some object inside the cabin. “See them tools I took away from him?” The boys stepped to their father’s side, and saw lying upon the table, where Silas had placed it, a belt containing a brace of heavy revolvers and a murderous-looking knife. “Now, them’s dangerous,” continued Silas, “and if this feller’s pardner should happen along--” “But he won’t happen along,” interrupted Dan. “Brierly’s squad gobbled him.” The ferryman looked surprised, then disgusted, and finally he turned an inquiring glance upon Joe, who said that Dan told the truth. “You don’t like it, do you?” said the latter, to himself. “It sorter hurts you to know that there is them in the world that are just as lucky and smart as you be, don’t it? Yes, that’s what’s the matter with pap. He don’t want no one else to be as well off as he is.” And when Dan said that, he hit the nail fairly on the head. “The other robber is not in a condition to attempt a rescue,” said Joe; “but, all the same, I don’t think you ought to keep this man here all night. The sheriff is now at Mr. Warren’s house, and it is your duty to hand the prisoner over to him at once. Be careful how you point those guns this way.” This last remark was called forth by an action on the part of Silas and Dan that made Joe feel the least bit uncomfortable. While the latter was talking, his hands were busy with the rope; and when the prisoner arose from the bench and stamped his feet to set the blood in circulation again, his excited and watchful guards at once covered his head and Joe’s with the muzzles of their guns. “Turn those weapons the other way,” repeated Joe, angrily. “You don’t think this man is foolish enough to try to run off while his hands are tied, do you? Now, father, how did you happen to catch him?” “It was just as easy as falling off a log,” replied Silas, resuming his seat and resting his double-barrel across his knees. “When you and Dan went away this morning, I just naturally shouldered my gun, walked up the road to the foot of the mounting, and set down on a log to wait for game to come a-running past me, just the same as if I was watching for deer, you know.”