The emphatic note of my reply seemed to change the old man’s manner immediately, and make him glad to give that confidence that so relieves mortals when they have the world against them.
“A man enticed me up here from S——, telling me that I could wait here in comfort till the ’Frisco boat arrived at S——. I want to get to San Francisco; got business there,” he hurriedly added, as he readjusted his pince-nez.
It was a bit of an effort for us to keep serious-looking and hide the fact that we well knew that ’Frisco was the much-sought high road to the No-Extradition Ports.
“Get me out of this hole and I’ll give you a present of fifty pounds,” said the old fellow, as he gripped my hand and peered about in a neurotic manner.
O’Hara and I looked into one another’s eyes. “Fifty pounds!” I heard O’Hara’s soul gasp as mine re-echoed it. We had been on long voyages, working like slaves for a mere pittance too!
“Don’t say a word to anyone. I can get you away from here safely,” said O’Hara, giving him a quiet wink as Bones came out of the Organization door.
“Here’s yer d—— pocketbook,” said he, as he threw something in the direction of the old gent.
That aged, fugitive bank-manager nearly fell forward on to his knees in thanksgiving when he opened the pocketbook and discovered his papers intact.
As Soogy came rushing out of the forest and commenced to gambol by us, Bones called the old man, took him under the breadfruits, and whispered to him. We saw the old gent take Bones’ hand impulsively in his own and vigorously shake it. Bones had some sense of honour, and I have no doubt that he had told the new-comer that he would see that he was not molested by the members of the shanty again.
It was wonderful how everything quieted down after that bit of excitement. The old gent imbibed a considerable amount of whisky, told the guilty men that he forgave them, shook their hands across the long benchtable, and drank their health. The humour of it all even struck those seasoned criminals. I saw them grin from ear to ear. It was a sight to see those rows of fierce, bearded faces as they sat there, clad in their red shirts and belted pants, the whole scene dimly lit up by the swinging candles that hung in the empty gin bottles just overhead, every sinful eye alert as the old man shook his finger.