"Time is too mighty short, younker, fer us to perlaver with yer. 'Tis true we mought hev saved a good leetle slice o' yit by knockin' ye in th' head when we pulled ye out'n th' river. To speak th' truth, I hoped th' river would fix yer; but seein' yit wan't likely to, we got round in season to take enny idee o' escape ye mought hev hed out yer head. "We know yer air wanted mighty bad up to th' Roads, but we want yer wuss hyur, though they air playin' inter our hands. Still, yer mought give 'em th' slip. Yer can't us! But this ain't bizness. "To say nothin' o' th' shabby way yer treated th' boys, we hev a double puppose in gittin' yer inter our grips. Yit don't make enny difference to ye wot it is, so long es 'tis so. Now we hev got yer, we hev got a leetle proposition to make yer, on which yer future happiness depends, es th' parson would say. "'Tan't enny use fer me to deny, but we hev got our eye on thet mail route, 'cos we think yit can be made a mighty payin' investment. Shag wants to run in shacks with us, but we like yer grit well 'nough to make a bargain with ye. Now, if ye'll 'gree to stand in with us, an' do th' square thing, we'll not only give ye a shake in th' profits, but we'll see thet ye don't hev enny trubble. All ye'll hev to do will be to stop yer hoss long 'nough fer us to look th' baggage over. Mind ye, we do th' sortin'. Further, we promise thet ye won't hev enny further trubble at Six Roads, or ennywhere else. Is't a trade, younker?" Little Snap was so amazed at this audacious scheme that at first he could not find tongue to reply to Bird Burrnock. "What if I refuse to enter into any such a contract?" "Then our own safety demands thet we put ye where ye can't trubble us enny more. But ye won't?" "I'll not stand in with you!" At this declaration the little knot of listeners started excitedly, and Bird Burrnock, the leader, uttered a fearful oath. "Then ye wanter die, younker?" he hissed. "Of course I do not, sir! But I cannot lend my aid to any such infamous scheme. Why, it's robbery of the worst sort, and you cannot carry it on for any length of time without being caught." "Thet's our lookout. Mebbe ye air shaky in thet direction, but I can tell yer we air well heeled thet way. Why, th' most' influential citizens o' th' Roads air in with us. There's th' judge, an' the colonel. Then, too, we'll take keer o' Shag. Once more, will yer fall with th' plan, or shall we be 'bliged to take desprit measures with yer?"