"Don't you do it, Mr. Hayden!" he exclaimed, hastily.
"What! young jackanapes," said the tramp, scowling fiercely. "You dare to give him this advice?"
"Yes, I do," said Tony, boldly. "He will be a fool if he releases you."
"If he don't I'll kill him and you too," returned Rudolph.
"What shall I do?" added Ben, hopelessly.
He turned for advice to the boy, who was fifty years his junior. Strong and resolute spirits naturally assume the place of leading at any age.
"Do you know what he'll do if you untie him?" asked Tony.
"You will steal this old man's money. It was what you were about to do when you fell over backwards."
"He threw me over," said the tramp, now gazing resentfully at Ben.
"I didn't mean to," said the terrified old man.
"If you're very sorry, untie them cords and let me up."
"You _dared_ to do it?" exclaimed Rudolph, turning upon Tony with concentrated fury.
"Yes, I did," said Tony, calmly. "It was the only way to keep you out of mischief."
"Insolent puppy; if I only had my hands free I would strangle you both."
"You hear what he says?" said Tony, turning to old Ben. "Are you in favor of untying him now?"
"No, no!" exclaimed Ben, trembling. "He is a dreadful man. O, why did he come here?"
"I came for your gold, you fool, and I'll have it yet," said Rudolph, losing sight of all considerations of prudence.
"What shall I do?" asked the old man, wringing his hands in the excess of his terror.
"Let me up, and I won't hurt you," said the tramp, finding that he must control his anger for the present.
"Just now you said you would strangle the both of us, Rudolph."
"I'll strangle you, you cub, but I will do no harm to the old man."
"Don't you trust him, Mr. Hayden," said Tony. "He will promise anything to get free, but he will forget all about it when he is unbound."
"I'd like to choke you!" muttered Rudolph, who meant thoroughly what he said.
"But what shall I do, Tony? I can't have him in here all the time."
"I'll go and call for help to arrest him," said Tony.
"And leave me alone with him?" asked Ben, terrified.
"No; we will lock the door, and you shall go and stay outside till I come back."
Tony's proposal was distasteful to Rudolph. He had a wholesome dread of the law, and didn't fancy the prospect of an arrest, especially as he knew that the testimony of Tony and the old man would be sufficient to insure him a prolonged term of imprisonment. He made a fresh and violent struggle which portended danger to his captors.