"The old fellow had been up to some trick, you may depend upon it," added Laud, sagely.
"I came to the conclusion that his desire to keep dark was only a whim, for he is the strangest man that ever walked the earth."
"That's so; but why should he give me such a pile if he hadn't been up to something?"
"And me another pile," added Donald. "We can talk this thing over between ourselves, but not a word to any other person."
"Certainly; I understand. I am paid for holding my tongue, and I intend to do so honorably."
"So do I, until I learn that there is something wrong."
"You have told me some things I did not know before, Don John," suggested Laud.
"You knew that the captain was down by Long Island."
"Yes, but I didn't know he was at Turtle Head; and I am satisfied now that he is the man that shook up Hasbrook that night," continued Laud, in meditative mood.
"Are you? Then I will let the whole thing out," exclaimed Donald.
"No, no! don't do that!" protested Laud. "That wouldn't be fair, at all."
"I would not be a party to the concealment of such an outrage."
"You don't understand it. Hasbrook is a regular swindler."
"That is no reason why he should be pounded half to death in the middle of the night."
"He borrowed a thousand dollars of Captain Shivernock a short time before the outrage. The captain told him he would lend him the money if Hasbrook would give him a good indorser on the paper. After the captain had parted with the money, he ascertained that the indorser was not worth a dollar. Hasbrook had told him the name was that of a rich farmer, and of course the captain was mad. He tried to get back his money, for he knew Hasbrook never paid anything if he could help it. Here is the motive for the outrage," reasoned Laud.
"Why didn't he prosecute him for swindling? for that's what it was."
"Captain Shivernock says he won't trouble any courts to fight his battles for him; he can fight them himself."
"It was wrong to pound any man as Hasbrook was. Why, he wasn't able to go out of the house for a month," added Donald, who was clearly opposed to Lynch law.
Donald was somewhat staggered in his belief by the evidence of his companion, but he determined to inquire further into the matter, and even hoped now that Hasbrook would call upon him.