"Or crazy, eh? Not quite. I was never more serious in my life. Listen!"
The speaker leaned forward earnestly. "After your spoiling our little
'ghost' game here the railroad people would never look for us starting in
again at the same place. Never in the world--would they? And likewise,
after your causing the capture of Corry, they would never in the world
suspect you of working with us. Do you see the point?
"And all you would have to do would be to keep your ears closed, and not
hear any noises out in the freight-room at night."
"And for doing that," concluded the law-breaker, "we will give you a
regular salary of $25 a month. We'll send it by mail, or bank it for you
at any bank you name, and no one will know where it comes from.
"What do you say?"
Jack drew back indignantly. "Most certainly not," he began. Then suddenly
he hesitated.
As the freight-robber had said, the authorities had been unable to obtain
a single clue to the whereabouts or identity of the remainder of the
freight-stealing gang. Should he accept the man's offer, came the
thought, undoubtedly, sooner or later, he would be able to bring about
the capture of every one of them.
Immediately following, however, there recurred to Jack one of his
mother's warnings--"that even the appearance of evil is dangerous,
always, as well as wrong."
But this would be quite different, Jack argued to himself--to cause the
capture of criminals. And what possible danger could there be in it? No
one would believe for an instant that I would go into such a thing
seriously, he told himself.
"All right, Mr. Watts," he said aloud. "I'll do it."
"Good! It's a go!" The freight-stealer spoke with satisfaction, and
rising, grasped Jack's hand. "I told you I knew a clever boy when I saw
one--and that means a wise one.
"Well, that's all there is to it, excepting the money matter. Where will
we send that? Here?"