The thieves needed no second invitation to do as Mike desired, and the glasses were very quickly replenished. ‘Here’s confusion to the Vigilance Committee!’ was Mike’s toast; and it was followed by loud shouts from every one in the room; the landlord of the house at that moment entering, and joining loudly in acclamation of it. ‘Ah!’ observed Joe,—‘they have found us rather troublesome customers to deal with, and will again if they should venture to attack us.’ ‘I don’t think that there is much fear of that,’ returned Mike; ‘for we keep too well out of their clutches, and have met with such a career of success, that we may set them at defiance!’ ‘Ay, ay,’ answered Mike; ‘and may we be always able to do so; and all those daring fellows, who will run the risk to live a free life.’ ‘But Jenkins,’ asked Mike, ‘do you not think that it was a very foolish thing for us to loose so much time in affecting the accomplishment of this plot of Blodget’s?’ ‘Certainly not,’ returned Jenkins; ‘Blodget has well rewarded us, and it will ultimately pay us much better than a trip to the mines would have done.’ ‘How?’ demanded Mike. ‘Why, Blodget must continue to do the thing that’s liberal, or else his game will be up,’ replied Jenkins. ‘The lady is in our power, and we must continue to keep her so; if Blodget does not come to our terms, why, Old de Castro, no doubt, will, and, therefore, we are sure of a reward one way or the other.’ ‘Yes, the gallows!’ observed one of the thieves, who had been sitting apart from the rest, and smoking his cigar heartily, did not seem to feel any particular interest in what was passing. ‘There’s Ben at his croaking again,’ said Mike; ‘he seems to take a delight in—’ ‘Speaking the truth,’ added Ben, in a quiet tone; ‘it is very unpleasant to hear it sometimes.’ ‘Pshaw! don’t make yourself a fool, Ben,’ exclaimed Jenkins; ‘any one would suppose, to hear you talk, that you had become tired of a thief’s life. But what think ye of my determination, my lads?’ ‘It is a famous one,’ answered Mike, ‘and cannot fail to work us good.’ ‘It must add much to our coffers one way or another,’ resumed Jenkins; ‘and I take no small credit to myself for the thought; besides, you know that we have the fellow, Blodget, entirely in our power, that murder, which—’ ‘Right, right,’ interrupted Mike; ‘if that were known, it would not be long before Mr. Blodget would swing upon a gallows.’ ‘Indeed it would not,’ returned Jenkins; ‘and he knows that, and dreads us. The lady is a beautiful woman, and I almost envy him his prize; but something may yet happen to place her in my possession instead of his, and I do not know that I should be over nice about availing myself of such an opportunity.’