The ruffian’s lip fell—­his voice faltered, and he became pale.

“Ay!” proceeded the other, “you may well look astonished—­but listen, you talk about goin’ to America—­do you wish to go?”

“Of coorse I do,” replied Body, “of coorse—­not a doubt of it.”

“Well,” proceeded Hanlon again, “listen still! your plan’s discovered, you’re betrayed; but I can’t tell you who betrayed you, I’m not at liberty.  Now listen, I say, come this way.  Couldn’t you an’ I ourselves do the thing—­couldn’t we make the haul, and couldn’t we cut off to America without any danger to signify, that is, if you can be faithful?”

“Faithful!” he exclaimed.  “By all the books that was ever opened an’ shut, I’m thruth and honesty itself, so I am—­howandiver, you said I was betrayed?”

“But I can’t tell you the man that toald me.  Whether you’re able to guess at him or not, I don’t know; but the thruth is, Rody, I’ve taken a likin’ to you—­an’ if you’ll just stand the trial I’m goin’ to put you to, I’ll be a friend to you—­the best you ever had too.”

“Well, Charley,” said the other, plucking up courage a little, for the fellow was a thorough coward, “what is the thrial?”

“The man,” continued Hanlon, “that betrayed you gave me one account of what you’re about; but whether he tould me thruth or not I don’t know till I hear another, an’ that’s yours.  Now, you see clearly, Rody, that I’m up to all as it is, so you need not be a bit backward in tellin’ the whole thruth.  I say you’re in danger, an’ it’s only trustin’ to me—­mark that—­by trustin’ faithfully to me that you’ll get out of it; an’, plaise the fates, I hope that, before three mouths is over, we’ll be both safe an’ comfortable in America.  Do you undherstand that?  I had my dhrames, Rody; but if I had, there must be nobody but yourself and me to know them.”

“It wasn’t I that first thought of it, but Donnel Dhu,” replied Kody; “I never dreamt that he’d turn thraitor though.”

“Don’t be sayin’ to-morrow or next day that I said he did,” replied Hanlon.  “Do you mind me now?  A nod’s as good as a wink to a blind horse.”

Rody, though cowardly and treacherous, was extremely cunning, and upon turning the matter over in his mind, he began to dread, or rather to feel that Hanlon had so far over-reached him.  Still it might be possible, he thought, that the prophet had betrayed him, and he resolved to put a query to his companion that would test his veracity; after which he would leave himself at liberty to play a double game, if matters should so fall out as to render it necessary.

“Did the man that tould you everything,” he asked, “tell you the night that was appointed for this business?”

Hanlon felt this was a puzzler, and that he might possibly commit himself by replying in the affirmative.

“No,” he replied, “he didn’t tell me that.”

“Ah, ha!” thought his companion, “I see whereabouts you are.”