The woman looked him all over before replying. Deciding that he was evidently from the country--one of her own kind--she answered:
“Yes, sir; they’s a bunch of them acrost the stream yonder, campin’ out in tents. They come before sundown this evenin’.”
“Sho! Hev any of them been over yere yet?”
“Wal, listen,” said Harold, lowering his voice to a whisper, “Here’s a piece o’ news! one o’ them gals has run away--from her pap! And he’s a rich man, and has offered a good reward to them as ketches ’er. The gal’s name is Margie Wilkison. If you and me could ketch ’er--see--” he jingled his money in his pockets--“we’d go fifty-fifty! Huh?”
The woman regarded him for a moment distrustfully. “I don’t know about that,” she said doubtfully. “How can I believe you?”
Harold took a five dollar gold piece out of his pocket, and held it alluringly close to her, so that she might see it in spite of the darkness.
“This is yours--and more later,” he said, “if you promise to help me all you can. I don’t mean to harm the gal in any way; I jest want ’a keep ’er a prisoner yere till we get word to her pap. Then--maybe--five hundred a piece fer you and me!”
The woman could not resist such a tempting offer; her eyes sparkled in the darkness, and she seized the gold piece with greedy hands.
“Sure you ain’t doin’ no kind o’ kidnappin’?” she asked sharply.
“I give you my word of it!” he replied solemnly. “But remember, whatever I say, you must pertend to her is true. For instance--you and me pertend to be married. You treat me like your old man! And can I sleep in the loft of your barn?”
“I reckon!” answered the woman. “Want sumpthin’ to eat?”
“How ’bout a nice ripe peach? My peaches is supposed to be the best in this here township.”
“Don’t care if I do,” replied Harold, and he followed her into the kitchen.
They sat for a while, talking, Harold leading his accomplice to tell him about the farm and the surrounding country. After about half an hour’s chat, they came back to the subject in question.
“And how do you expect to get the girl over here?” asked the woman. “Go across and steal her?”
Harold laughed unguardedly, showing his regular, white teeth, which would have been almost a miracle for one of his assumed age. However, the oil lamp gave a dim light and the woman was unobserving; the incident passed without any notice. But the boy realized that he must take more precaution in the presence of the young people.