been cold-decked with a bum judge. They've got us into a corner
an' over the ropes."

"I'm sorry I can't help you, Dextry, but I got mixed up in one of
your scrapes and that's plenty."

"This ain't no stowaway. There's no danger to you," began Dextry,
but the officer interrupted him:

"There's no need of arguing. I won't do it."

"Oh, you WON'T, eh?" said the old man, beginning to lose his
temper. "Well, you listen to me for a minute. Everybody in camp
knows that me an' the kid is on the square an' that we're gettin'
the hunk passed to us. Now, this lawyer party must get away to-
night or these grafters will hitch the horses to him on some phony
charge so he can't get to the upper court. It 'll be him to the
bird-cage for ninety days. He's goin' to the States, though, an'
he's goin'--in--your--wagon! I'm talkin' to you--man to man. If
you don't take him, I'll go to the health inspector--he's a friend
of mine--an' I'll put a crimp in you an' your steamboat, I don't
want to do that--it ain't my reg'lar graft by no means--but this
bet goes through as she lays. I never belched up a secret before.
No, sir; I am the human huntin'-case watch, an' I won't open my
face unless you press me. But if I should, you'll see that it's
time for you to hunt a new job. Now, here's my scheme." He
outlined his directions to the sailor, who had fallen silent
during the warning. When he had done, Stephens said:

"I never had a man talk to me like that before, sir--never. You've