Page 64 - In A New World

repay us for our trouble."

"It isn’t my fault," said Fletcher in an apologetic tone. "The Yankee
completely deceived me. He was always boasting of his money."

"He doesn’t seem like that kind of a man," said the captain thoughtfully.
"What could have been his object?"

"He must have meant to fool me. I am ashamed to say he did."

"Couldn’t you have found out whether his boasts were correct?"

"That is just what I tried to do," answered Fletcher. "I crept to his side early
one morning, and began to explore his pockets, but he woke up in an

instant and cut up rough. He seized me by the throat, and I thought he
would choke me. That made me think all the more that he carried a good
deal of money about with him."

"The boys, too--did you think they were worth plundering?"

"Oh, no, I never was deceived about them," replied Fletcher promptly. "I
concluded that, even if they had money, the Yankee was their guardian, and

took care of it. They are all Americans, you know."

He spoke glibly, and the captain appeared to credit his statements. The boys
listened with interest, and with a new appreciation of Fletcher’s character.
They could easily have disproved one of his statements, for they knew very

well that Obed never boasted of his money, nor gave anyone a right to
suppose that he carried much with him. On this point he was very reticent,

and neither of them knew much of his circumstances. However, it would
have done no good to contradict Fletcher, for his word with the captain
would have outweighed theirs, and he would have found a way to punish

them for their interference.

"In future," said the captain, "I advise you to make sure that the game is
worth bagging. As it is, you have led us on a fool’s errand."