"My, what a large one!" he exclaimed, as Budd picked up a six-pound mackerel, and was about to toss it into the proper "car."

"Would you like it?" asked the lad; and as Mr. Benton gave a.s.sent he tossed it into the man's boat, which had been fastened near by.

"Have you been here long waiting for us?" Judd asked, with a wink at his chum.

"Well, yes," responded Mr. Benton. "I come over here 'bout as soon as I could after I went home from the village; but you'd gone."

"We hadn't been to the pounds to-day, and so hurried off to them,"

explained Budd.

"I thought that was it," said Mr. Benton, following the lads on to the house.

"Come in and take supper with us," said Budd.

"I don't know but I will, seeing I have a little business with ye."

Judd gave his partner a significant look.

Supper was soon ready, and they sat down at the table. Mr. Benton showed that whatever his business with them was he had not lost his appet.i.te, and a half-hour elapsed before the meal was finished. Then Budd led the way into the sitting-room, and showing Mr. Benton to a chair, ventured to hasten matters by asking:

"What is your business, Mr. Benton?"

"Ahem! ahem!" said he, as though clearing his throat from some impediment. "I signed yer bond fer ye to-day, Budd, or else ye'd now be on yer way to Kingston jail. Hev ye thought o' that?"

"Do you really think so?" responded Budd, and waiting for Mr. Benton to go on.

"Yes, ye would," said the man, shortly; "an' ye know it, well as I do."

"It was very good of you," said the boy, meaningly.

"An' I thought, as I'd done ye the favor, ye might pay me back that thirty dollers that don't belong to ye," said the miser, coming to the point of his business with Budd.

"Why should I? It belonged to me, not to you," Budd retorted.

"No it don't, either. Ye have quit work, an' 'cordin' to the barg'in it never did belong to ye."

"What will you do if I don't pay it?" asked Budd, as though yielding.

"I'll go an' cancel the bond, an' have ye in jail 'fore mornin'," he said, savagely.

"And if I do pay it you will cancel the bond, just the same, and land me in jail. Confess, now, that's your game," remarked Budd, seeing through Mr. Benton's purpose.

The man twisted in his chair.

"Ye'd better pay it," he finally said.

"Not one cent," replied Budd, decidedly.

"Then I'll go to the village right off an' cancel the bond, an' bring down the officer," declared Mr. Benton, grabbing up his hat and starting for the door.

With a laugh Budd and his partner followed the man to his boat.

He got into it and rowed off a rod or two from the sh.o.r.e; then he paused and said:

"Ye'd better change yer mind, Budd."

"How do you know I'll be here when you get back?" asked Budd, mischievously. "I can take the sloop and be miles away from here before you get to the village."

"Judd, ye hold on to him!" cried the man in alarm; "I command ye in the name o' the law to do so!"

Judd laughed, and catching the spirit of mischief Budd had displayed, asked:

"What'll you give me, if I do?"

"A doller," said Mr. Benton, with some hesitation.

"Oh! Budd will give me more than that to let him go," replied Judd, "and you will have the thousand dollars to pay!"

"I'll give ye five dollers," cried Mr. Benton, in alarm.

"Budd will give ten to go free," was the answer.

"I'll give ye 'leven," said the man, desperately; and in his eagerness he rowed back insh.o.r.e.

"Where's the money? It must be cash down," said Judd, seriously.

"I left my money at home 'fore I come down here," explained the man, "fer I didn't know what ye fellers might do; but I'll pay ye to-morrow."

Before Judd could make answer, Budd, pitying the man, said:

"I promise not to go away before morning, Mr. Benton. But even if you go to the village, no officer will return with you, for after you left Mr.

Wright also signed my bond."

Mr. Benton gave an exclamation of anger.

"He's always interferin' with me," he said; "but I'll go up an' see if it's as you say. Remember yer promise now," and he rowed off toward the village.

He found, on arriving there, that Budd had told the truth, but succeeded in getting his own name released after much persuasion; and realizing that his little game had been completely baffled, he started sullenly for home.

As he pa.s.sed Fox Island his anger was again aroused, and he exclaimed, bitterly:

"'Twas all owin' to Wright's meddlin', an' that's what made Budd so lively. I wish I could get hold of su'thin' o' his; he'd not see it ag'in till he paid me them thirty dollers."

His eye just then caught the outline of the boys' sloop through the darkness.

"I have it!" exclaimed he. "I'll take their boats;" and without thinking that his act was theft he rowed quietly in to the island.

Five minutes later he sailed off in the sloop, having the yawl and his own boat in tow.