"I've got the boy--he's with me," said Mahaffy.
"God bless you both!" repeated the judge brokenly. "Take care of
him, Solomon. I feel better now, knowing he's in good hands."
"Please, Judge--" it was Hannibal
"Yes, dear lad?"
"I'm mighty sorry that ten dollars I loaned you was bad--but you
don't need ever to pay it back!"
Mahaffy gave way to mirth.
"Never mind!" said the judge indulgently. "It performed all the
essential functions of a perfectly legal currency. Just suppose
we had discovered it was counterfeit before I took it to the
tavern--that would have been a hardship!"
"It were Captain Murrell gave it to me," explained Hannibal.
"I consecrate myself to his destruction! Judge Slocum Price can
not be humiliated with impunity!"
"I should think you would save your wind, Price, until you'd
waddled out of danger!" Mahaffy spoke, gruffly.
"How are you going to get me out of this, Solomon--for I suppose
you are here to break jail for me," said the judge.
Mahaffy inspected the building. He found that the door was
secured by two ponderous hasps to which were fitted heavy
padlocks, but the solid wooden shutter which closed the square
hole in the gable that served as a window was fastened by a hasp
and peg. He withdrew the peg, opened the shutter, and the
judge's face, wreathed in smiles, appeared at the aperture.
"The blessed sky and air!" he murmured, breathing deep. "A week
of this would have broken my spirit!"
"If you can, Price, you'd better come feet first," suggested
Mahaffy.
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