The magistrate winked, the spectators stared, and Peternot frowned, harder than ever. After writing a few words, Judge Garty looked up again and said, “I don’t see but what I shall have to bind you over.”
Jack, who had never heard the legal term before, turned to Sellick with a bewildered look. “Bind me over? I haven’t been bound at all yet!”
There was a general titter at his expense; and Sellick laughingly replied: “He means, you must give bonds; that is, get somebody to pledge a certain sum of money that you won’t run away, but that you’ll appear for trial when your case comes up before the county court.”
“I know!” said Jack, blushing. “That’s what you call bailing a fellow.”
“Exac’ly! Now if you can git bail, you’ll be let off till you’re wanted for trial. But if you can’t, you must stand committed,—that is, go to jail and wait there till you’re wanted.”
Judge Garty conferred in low tones with Squire Peternot,—whom Jack overheard to mutter, “Hardened little wretch! desperate character!” and then announced that he had fixed the amount of the required bonds at five hundred dollars.
“Do you know anybody who will be security for you?” he asked, winking at the prisoner.
Jack thought of Mr. Chatford,—but Mr. Chatford had lost faith in him, and could not be expected now to show him any favors. So he answered, faintly, “No, sir.” And the judge resumed his writing.
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THE prisoner looked anxiously at the door, and about the room, and after a little reflection said to the constable, “I’m kind of hungry. Can’t I have some breakfast?”
“Where’s the lunch Mis’ Pipkin tucked into your pocket?” said Sellick. “Here it is, all right. She knew you would come to your appetite.”
Jack had hoped to be taken down into the grocery, and at the moment he did not thank Mrs. Pipkin for her kindness.
“Can’t I have something to drink with it?” he asked. “They have milk in the grocery; I can pay for a cupful.” And he took from his pocket the solitary half-dollar, which was all the riches he could command, out of the hoard of treasure he had found so lately, and lost, and regained, and perhaps lost again forever.
“Here, sonny!” said Sellick to a boy in the crowd (every boy was “sonny” to him), “take this money and go down into the grocery and buy a cup of milk, and bring back the change, and you shall have a penny for your trouble. And be spry, for we must eat our breakfast while the judge is making out his papers.”