Page:Hugh Pendexter--Tiberius Smith.djvu/162

 they decided the spy can live, as he warned us of your coming.'

"‘Hooray!' shouted the drummer, with a vulgar display of enthusiasm.

"‘Shut up!' growled Tib. 'So, you foretold our coming, eh?'

"‘Sure; had to, to save my hide,' grinned the drummer, happily. 'Of course it was only con on my part, but luckily it worked out all hunkey. All's well that ends well, you know.'

'"You needn't be so devilish gay over it,' snapped Tib, 'or you'll find it's sad work to double-cross even the Pretender.'

"‘Oh, come now,' whined the drummer, 'you fellers wouldn't spike a poor man's game! Don't you see, just as soon at I get to Beanville I'll catch a constable and come back and rescue you both.'

"‘No ye won't,' chuckled the guard, whom we'd forgotten. 'Cause King James says ye can't go till after they've been executed, whatever that means—for danged if I do. And before ye go, we're going to brand the word "traitor" on your brow.'

"Well, that doubled the drummer all up. He tried to bribe the guard to run up to the corner store and beg the king to modify the sentence. 'I'll give two dollars if you'll get him to change his mind and brand me on the leg or in the newspapers,' he offered, hysterically.