But one thing I finds out."
Mother Borton stopped and looked at me anxiously.
"Well," I said impatiently, "what was it?"
"They're a-sayin' as how, if you're killed, the one as you knows on'll
have to git some one else to look after the boy, and mebbe he won't be
so smart about foolin' them."
"That's an excellent idea," said I. "If they only knew that I was the
other fellow they could see at once what a bright scheme they had hit
upon."
"Maybe they ain't a-goin' to do it," said Mother Borton. "There's a
heap o' things said over the liquor that don't git no further, but
you'll be a fool if you don't look out. Now, do as I tell you. You just
keep more men around you. Keep eyes in the back of your head, and if
you see there's a-goin' to be trouble, jest you shoot first and ax
questions about it afterward. They talked of getting you down on the
water-front or up in Chinatown with some bogus message and said how
easy it would be to dispose of you without leaving clues behind 'em.
Now, don't you sleep here without three or four men on guard, and don't
you stir round nights with less than four. Send Porter out to git two
more men, and tell him to look sharp and see if the coast's clear
outside. I reckon I'll slide out if no one's lookin'."
"I've got some men on the next floor," I said. "I thought it would be
just as well to have a few around in case of emergencies. I'll have two
of them out, and send Porter to reconnoiter."
"Who told you to git your men together?"
"A little idea of my own.
Pages:
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160