"What would you do?" he said. "You surely forget the reward. Tell us
where are your goods, and you shall go to your father."
Birch complied instantly, and a man was dispatched in quest of the
booty; he soon returned, throwing the bundle on the floor, swearing it
was as light as feathers.
"Aye," cried the leader, "there must be gold somewhere for what it did
contain. Give us your gold, Mr. Birch; we know you have it; you will not
take continental, not you."
"You break your faith," said Harvey.
"Give us your gold," exclaimed the other, furiously, pricking the
peddler with his bayonet until the blood followed his pushes in streams.
At this instant a slight movement was heard in the adjoining room, and
Harvey cried,--
"Let me--let me go to my father, and you shall have all."
"I swear you shall go then," said the Skinner.
"Here, take the trash," cried Birch, as he threw aside the purse, which
he had contrived to conceal, notwithstanding the change in his garments.
The robber raised it from the floor with a hellish laugh.
"Aye, but it shall be to your father in heaven."
"Monster! have you no feeling, no faith, no honesty?"
"To hear him, one would think there was not a rope around his neck
already," said the other, laughing. "There is no necessity for your
being uneasy, Mr.
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