"what are you doing here, mr. wolverton?" repeated bob, sternly.

"oh, it's you, bob, is it?" said wolverton, with assumed lightness. "really, you quite startled me, coming upon me so suddenly in the dark."

"i noticed that you were startled," responded bob, coolly. "but that isn't answering my question."

by this time wolverton was on his feet, and had recovered his self-possession.

"what right have you to put questions to me, you young whelp?" he demanded, angrily.

"because i suspect you of designs on my property."

"what do you mean?" snarled wolverton.[pg 164]

"i will tell you; i think you meant to cut the rope, and send my boat adrift."

"how dare you insult me by such a charge?" demanded the agent, working himself into a rage.

"i have reason to think that you meant to do what i have said."

"why should i do it?"

"in order to injure me by the loss of my wheat."

"you are a fool, young man! i am inclined to think, also, that you are out of your head."

"if you had any other purpose, what is it?"

wolverton bethought himself that in order to avert suspicion, he must assign some reason for his presence. to do this taxed his ingenuity considerably.

"i thought i saw something in the water," he said. "there it is; a twig; i see now."

"and what were you going to do with the razor?"

"none of your business!" said wolverton, suddenly, finding it impossible, on the spur of the moment, to think of any reason.[pg 165]

"that is easy to understand," said bob, significantly. "now, mr. wolverton, i have a warning to give you. if anything befalls my boat, i shall hold you responsible."

"do you know who i am?" blustered wolverton. "how do you, a boy, dare to talk in this impudent way to a man who has you in his power?"

"it strikes me, mr. wolverton, that i hold you in my power."

"who would believe your unsupported assertion? sneered the agent."

"it is not unsupported. i brought with me edward jones, my faithful assistant, who has seen your attempt to injure me."

at this, edward, a stalwart young man of twenty-four, stepped into view.

"i saw it all," he said, briefly.

"you are ready to lie, and he to swear to it," said wolverton, but his voice was not firm, for he saw that the testimony against him was too strong to be easily shaken.

"i don't wonder you deny it, mr. wolverton," said bob.

"i won't remain here any longer to be [pg 166]insulted," said wolverton, who was anxious to get away, now that his plan had failed.

bob did not reply, and the agent slunk away, feeling far from comfortable.

"what cursed luck sent the boy to the creek to-night?" he said to himself. "i was on the point of succeeding, and then i would have had him in my power. could he have heard anything?"

wolverton decided, however, that this was not likely. he attributed bob's presence to chance, though his words seemed to indicate that he suspected something. he was obliged to acknowledge his defeat. yet it would be possible for him to return in an hour or two, and carry out his evil plan. but it would be too hazardous. the crime would inevitably be traced to him, and he would be liable to arrest. no, hard though it was to bring his mind to it, he must forego his scheme, and devise something else.

when the agent had left the scene, bob burton said: "edward, you may go home. i mean to stay here on guard."

"but you will not be in condition to start[pg 167] to-morrow morning. you will be tired out."

"i can't take any risks this last evening, edward."

"then let me take your place. i will stay here."

"but it will be hard on you."

"i will lie later to-morrow morning. you can relieve me, if you like, at four o'clock."

"let it be so, then! too much is at stake for us to leave anything to chance. i don't think, however, that wolverton would dare to renew his attempt."

meanwhile wolverton retraced his steps to his own house. there was one lonely place on the way, but the agent was too much absorbed in his own reflections to have room for fear. his occupation of mind was rudely disturbed, when from a clump of bushes two men sprang out, and one, seizing him by the shoulder, said, roughly: "your money or your life!"

wolverton was not a brave man, and it must be confessed that he was startled by this sudden summons. but he wasn't in the habit of[pg 168] carrying money with him in the evening, and an old silver watch, which would have been dear at four dollars, was not an article whose loss would have seriously disturbed him. so it was with a tolerable degree of composure that he answered: "you have stopped the wrong man."

"we know who you are. you are aaron wolverton, and you are a rich man."

"that may and may not be, but i don't carry my money with me."

"empty your pockets!"

wolverton complied, but neither purse nor pocket book was forthcoming.

"didn't i tell you so?" he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"we won't take your word for it."

the first highwayman plunged his hand into the agent's pockets, but his search only corroborated wolverton's statement.

"you, a rich man, go without money!" he exclaimed with rough contempt.

"perhaps i might have expected such a meeting," wolverton replied, with cunning triumph.[pg 169]

"you must have a watch, at any rate!"

"i have one that i will sell you for four dollars."

as he spoke, he voluntarily produced the timeworn watch, which had served him for twenty years.

the thieves uttered an exclamation of contempt. their disappointment made them angry. they hurriedly conferred as to the policy of keeping wolverton in their power till he should pay a heavy ransom, but there were obvious difficulties in the way of carrying out this plan.

aaron wolverton listened quietly to the discussion which concerned him so nearly. he smiled at times, and did not appear particularly alarmed till one, more bloodthirsty than the other, suggested stringing him up to the nearest tree.

"my friends," he said, for the first time betraying a slight nervousness. "i can't see what advantage it would be for you to hang me."

"you deserve it for fooling us!" replied the second highwayman, with an oath.[pg 170]

"in what way?"

"by not carrying any money, or article of value."

"i grieve for your disappointment," said wolverton, with much sympathy.

"if you mock us, you shall swing, any way."

"don't mistake me! i have no doubt you are very worthy fellows, only a little unfortunate. what sum would have paid you for your disappointment?"

"fifty dollars would have been better than nothing."

"that is considerable money, but i may be able to throw it in your way."

"now you're talking! if you are on the square, you'll find us gentlemen. we are ready to hear what you have to say."

"good! but i expect you to earn the money."

"how?" inquired the first gentleman, suspiciously. the word earn might mean work, and that was not in his line.

"i'll tell you."

there was an amiable conference for twenty[pg 171] minutes, but this is not the place to reveal what was said. enough that it nearly concerned bob burton, and involved a new plot against the success of his enterprise.