"Of course, sir, it is not his opinion. But it is mine. I am a serious man; I feel a great interest in him. Now that his father is dead I am his legal guardian--though he repudiates me. Now, sir, would you believe it," cried the fat man, "I had arranged with his aunt, my wife, the most delicious marriage for him with a young girl--I may as well be frank, a niece of my own?" "And he wouldn't have her," said Tom. "No, sir, he actually would not have her. Do you understand such folly on his part?" cried the other. "Well, it is strange. But what have I to do with it?" "I will explain if you will allow me." "I really should feel much obliged," urged Tom. "After refusing contemptuously this eligible alliance, which united every condition of age and fortune and position, what did the fool do? Excuse me if in my anger I speak thus of a nephew I love. One fine morning, without saying a word to anybody, he left his business to a partner, and started off, sir--what for?" "Well, how can I say?" asked Tom. "In pursuit of this wretched girl without family or fortune, whose parents had emigrated to the Indian frontier." "Oh, oh!" said the captain, who began to feel interested, and who listened with a gloomy frown. "Yes, sir," said the fat man, too wrapped up in his narrative to notice the other's looks, "so that my nephew must be somewhere here about this neighbourhood, looking after his beauty, neglecting his affairs and fortune Tor a girl he will certainly never marry." "How do you know, sir?" "At all events I will do everything in my power to prevent it," cried the irate citizen of Boston. "How will you set about it?" "Sir, I have been told that you were the only man in these parts capable of arresting a fugitive." "You do me too much honour." "I have a number of unclosed accounts, needless to explain, with his father. Arrest the young man, sir!" cried the Bostonian; "Arrest him and place him safely in my hands, and the sum of one thousand guineas is yours." As he spoke, the worthy shipowner pulled out an enormous pocketbook from his coat and opened it. "Excuse me, sir," said the captain, "do not let us be in quite such a hurry. You have not quite finished." "How so?" cried the American. "You have forgotten," said the captain with simple frankness, "to tell me the name of your foolish nephew." "George Clinton, sir, a very fine lad, though I say it." "I know him," retorted the captain, coldly. "You know him!" exclaimed the shipowner, "Then the affair is settled. You will have him arrested." "Perhaps," said Tom Mitchell; "I will reflect on the affair, which is not so easy as you may suppose." "To you, the chief of the outlaws?" "George Clinton is not alone. He has many and powerful friends on the frontier." "But I have plenty of money." "I tell you, I will reflect. You will now return to the fort under escort. In two days you shall have my answer." "But allow me to pay you a deposit," cried the other.