"Why should I?"

"The weapon might go off."

"I mean that it shall if the owner makes another attack upon us."

"You don't think he will?" asked the professor, nervously.

"I think it very probable."

"I wish we had never met him," said the unhappy professor.

"So do I; but as we have, we must make the best of it."

"If you had only given him back the revolver we should have had no more trouble."

"Pardon me, professor, I think we should have had a great deal of trouble. Once give the fellow his old advantage over us and he would use it."

"I never had such an experience before," complained the professor, looking at Walter reproachfully, as if he thought that somehow it was the fault of his young a.s.sistant.

Walter smiled.

"Do you know, professor," he said, "your remark reminds me of a statement in an Irish paper to this effect: 'Several persons have died during the last year who never died before.'"

"I don't see the point," said the professor, peevishly.

They were about half-way to the next town when Walter heard the sound of a galloping horse behind him.

Looking out of the side of the wagon, he saw the now familiar figure of the outlaw as he rode up alongside. He looked critically at Walter, and saw that the coveted revolver was in our hero's hand, ready for action.

"Why didn't you give the revolver to my messenger this morning, boy?"

he demanded, with a frown.

"I didn't think it would be safe," Walter answered significantly.

"Didn't you know it was my property?"

"I wasn't sure of it."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I didn't know whether you had paid for it."

"You are impudent. Professor Robinson, will you make the boy give me back my revolver?"

"I have told him to," answered the professor, in an apologetic tone, "but he won't obey me."

"Then why don't you discharge him? I wouldn't keep a boy in my employ who disobeyed me."

"I am well satisfied with him, except on this point."

"I am ready to leave you, professor, if you say the word," said Walter, and he made a motion as if to jump out of the wagon.

"No, no!" exclaimed the professor, in alarm. "I don't want you to leave me."

"Then I won't. I think it might be bad for you if I did," said Walter, with a significant look at the horseman.

"Well, boy," said the outlaw, harshly, "I can't waste my time here.

You sent me a message to come for my revolver myself if I wanted it."

"Yes."

"Well, here I am. Now give me the weapon."

"I think I shall have to decline."

"Are you going back on your word?" demanded the outlaw.

"Not exactly."

"Then what do you propose to do?"

"Keep along with us till we reach Stilwell. Then we will go before a magistrate. You will make your demand for the weapon, and in his presence I will surrender it."

"Do you take me for a fool?" thundered the robber.

"No, and I want you to understand that I am not a fool, either."

"You are acting like a fool and a knave."

"I should certainly be acting like a fool if I gave up the revolver, and had it immediately pointed at me or my companion, with a demand for our money."

"But I gave you my word--"

"Of course you did, but I put no confidence in your word."

While this conversation was going on the poor professor looked on and listened with an expression of helplessness on his broad face. He was essentially a man of peace, and was by no means fitted to deal with a highwayman.

"Look here," said the outlaw, after a pause, and in a milder tone, "I have a special attachment for that weapon, or I would drop the whole matter and buy another one. But this was given me by an old pal, now dead, and I set great store by it. Professor, although the revolver is mine by rights, I will waive all that and offer you twenty-five dollars for it. That will pay you for all the trouble I have put you to."

Professor Robinson, though not a mean man, was fond of money, and this offer tempted him. It would be getting twenty-five dollars for nothing, and that was a piece of good luck not likely to present itself every day.

"I accept your offer," he said gladly.

"But I don't," put in Walter, calmly. "Allow me to say that the professor has no claim to the weapon. I took it with my own hand, and it has never been in his possession."

"All right! Then I'll give you twenty-five dollars for it."

"I decline your offer."