CHAPTER IX. AN ARMED ESCORT.

 Luke Robbins entered at once upon his duties as janitor¹ of the Emmonsville bank. It was rather difficult, however, to supply him with employment enough to account for his being in constant attendance.

 

He was provided with a broom, and in the morning swept the bank. Sometimes he washed the windows; at other times he sat on a bench in the rear of the bank, ready for any call upon his services. So far as garb² went, he resembled a Quaker, but his brown face and sharp eyes hardly harmonized with his assumed character. Still less did the revolver which he carried in an inside pocket.

 

Several days passed, and though Luke kept a sharp lookout³ for the Fox brothers, he did not catch a glimpse of anyone who suggested or resembled them.

 

Then one morning Luke went to the bank as usual and put on his Quaker garb.

 

About eleven o'clock an elderly man appeared and presented a check for five hundred dollars. The money was paid him, and then he lingered a moment, ill at ease.

 

"I don't like to have so much money about me," he said, in a tone that betrayed anxiety.

 

"No doubt you will find plenty who would be willing to relieve you of it," rejoined the paying teller⁴, with a smile.

 

"That's what I am afraid of. They do say that the Fox brothers have been seen not far away."

 

"Is it absolutely necessary that you should have the money in your possession? You could leave it in the bank, or most of it."

 

"I shall want to use some of it to-morrow, and I live ten miles away--in Claremont."

 

"How are you going back?"

 

"I have a buggy outside."

 

"The road to Claremont is rather lonely, I believe."

 

"Yes."

 

"Why don't you get some one to go with you?"

 

"I don't know any one I could get."

 

"I can find you a companion, but he would want to be paid."

 

"I'll pay him if he'll see me through all right."

 

"I have the very man for you. Here, Luke!"

 

Luke Robbins heard the call and approached.

 

"The farmer looked at him doubtfully.

 

"A Quaker?" he said, in a disappointed tone.

 

"He is no more a Quaker than you are. He is a detective, and very anxious to meet either of the Fox brothers."

 

The farmer brightened up.

 

"He's the man I'm after, then."

 

A bargain was struck between Luke and Ezekiel Mason, whereby the farmer promised to pay him five dollars to accompany him home and remain over night at the farm-house until he had disposed of the money the way he intended.

 

Luke was glad to accept the proposal. It promised variety, and possibly adventure. The farmer climbed into the buggy, and the Quaker detective, following, took a seat by his side.

 

After they had driven some time they reached a part of the road where for a clear mile in advance there was not a house or building of any kind to be seen.

 

"This is the place I was most afraid of," said the farmer.

 

"Yes, it seems to be lonely. I wish one of the Fox brothers would happen along."

 

"Why?" asked the farmer, in a tone of alarm.

 

"Because I would like to tackle him."

 

"Why are you so anxious to tackle him? I cannot understand."

 

"Then I'll tell you, my honest friend. There is a reward of a thousand dollars offered for the capture of one of these famous outlaws⁵, dead or alive."

 

Ezekiel Mason shrugged⁶ his shoulders.

 

"I'd rather earn the money some other way!" he said.

 

"You are only a peaceful farmer, while I am a fighting Quaker," responded Luke.

 

As he spoke⁷ he looked up the road, and his glance fell upon a short, compactly built man, in a gray suit, who was walking towards them. He seemed a quiet, commonplace person, but there was something about him that attracted Luke's attention.

 

"Do you know that man?" he asked abruptly⁸.

 

"No," answered Mason, after a rapid glance.

 

"Are the Fox brothers tall men?" asked Luke.

 

"One only."

 

"The other?"

 

"Is about the size of the man who is approaching."

 

Luke did not reply, but examined still more critically the advancing pedestrian.

 

"If this should be one of the Foxes," he began.

 

"Do you think it is?" asked the farmer in a terrified tone.

 

"I can't tell. If it proves to be, do exactly as I tell you."

 

"Yes," replied the farmer, now thoroughly⁹ alarmed.

 

By this time the new-comer was but twenty feet distant. Though his appearance and dress were commonplace, his eyes, as they could see, were dark and glittering.

 

He made a halt.

 

"Friends," he said, "can you oblige me with the time?"

 

The farmer was about to produce his big, old-fashioned, silver watch, when Luke nudged him sharply.

 

"Leave him to me," he whispered, in a tone audible only to the farmer.

 

"Thee has asked the wrong party," he said aloud. "We don't carry watches."

 

The pedestrian regarded him with contempt. Whoever he might be, he looked upon a Quaker as a mild, inoffensive person, hardly deserving the name of man.

 

"I didn't speak to you," he said scornfully.

1 janitor   

n.看门人，管门人

参考例句：

• The janitor wiped on the windows with his rags.看门人用褴褛的衣服擦着窗户。
• The janitor swept the floors and locked up the building every night.那个看门人每天晚上负责打扫大楼的地板和锁门。

2 garb   

n.服装，装束

参考例句：

• He wore the garb of a general.他身着将军的制服。
• Certain political,social,and legal forms reappear in seemingly different garb.一些政治、社会和法律的形式在表面不同的外衣下重复出现。

3 lookout   

n.注意，前途，瞭望台

参考例句：

• You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
• It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

4 teller   

n.银行出纳员；(选举)计票员

参考例句：

• The bank started her as a teller.银行起用她当出纳员。
• The teller tried to remain aloof and calm.出纳员力图保持冷漠和镇静。

5 outlaws   

歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯

参考例句：

• During his year in the forest, Robin met many other outlaws. 在森林里的一年，罗宾遇见其他许多绿林大盗。
• I didn't have to leave the country or fight outlaws. 我不必离开自己的国家，也不必与不法分子斗争。

6 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

9 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。