CHAPTER VII. BAFFLED.

The charge had come upon Robert so suddenly that he hardly knew what to say. Gradually, his presence of mind returned to him.

"What made you fix upon me as the one likely to have the watch?" he asked. "Why didn't you select some other passenger?"

The stout man hesitated. He could not say what was the truth, that Robert had been described to him by his confederate.

"It was your guilty look," he answered, after a pause.

"So you think I look guilty?" said our hero, with an amused smile.

"Yes, I do," said the other defiantly. "I have had a great deal to do with crooks in my time."

"No doubt of it," chimed in a new voice.

Both Robert and the man who accused him looked round. The voice proceeded from a tall, rough-looking man who sat behind Robert.

The accuser looked a little uneasy.

[Pg 60]

"As I said, I know a crook when I see him."

"So do I," said the rough-looking man, who had the appearance of a Western miner.

"My friend," said the claimant of the watch severely, "will you do me the favor to mind your own business?"

"That's good advice. I hope you follow it yourself."

"Will you give me the watch, or are you prepared to be arrested?"

"Describe the watch," said Robert composedly.

"I have. It is a gold watch."

"So is this," said the miner, producing a heavy gold watch from his fob.

"You needn't put in your oar," said the claimant, frowning.

"The boy is right. Describe the watch."

"I have already said that it is a gold watch."

"So is this. Do you claim this watch as yours?"

"No. I suppose it is your watch. The watch in the boy's pocket is not his."

"Correct, squire. But that doesn't prove it is yours."

"Where is the man who handed it to me?" asked Robert.

[Pg 61]

"I don't know. I don't believe there is any such man."

"Bring him here, and I will hand it to him."

"That's where your head's level, boy," said the miner. "If this man wants any proof that he asked you to keep it for him, he can call on me. I saw him do it."

"No doubt!" sneered the accuser. "I presume you are in league with the boy."

The miner coolly lifted the window beside his seat.

"Do you see that window," he asked.

"Yes. What of it?"

"Have you any particular desire to be thrown out?"

"No," answered the other, in evident alarm.

"Then don't you dare to insinuate that I am in league with anybody for crooked work."

As he spoke, he rose to his full height, showing a muscular figure, rather more than six feet in length. Robert's antagonist was about six inches shorter.

"No offense, mister," he said meekly.

"You seem to be coming to your senses. Now, is this watch yours?"

"What watch?"

"The watch in the boy's pocket."

[Pg 62]

"Yes."

"How did the other man get hold of it?"

"If he had it at all, he stole it from me."

"Very good; we'll investigate this. My young friend, come with me into the smoking-car."

The claimant protested uneasily, but the miner insisted.

He and Robert left the car and went into the one behind.

There about the middle of the car sat the man from whom Robert had received the watch.

"Give it back to him," said the miner.

Robert walked up to his first acquaintance.

"I want you to take back your watch," he said. "This man says it belongs to him."

The tall, thin man looked at his confederate. He saw that their little plan of frightening Robert into giving them ten dollars had failed.

"Did you send him in to me?" went on Robert.

"There is some mistake. I sent him in for it, but he misunderstood me."

He looked askance at the miner, who he saw was disposed to be a friend of Robert.

"Look here," said the miner sternly, "you are a precious pair of rascals. Your little game hasn't worked. I have seen such men as you before. I was on the vigilance committee in San[Pg 63] Francisco some years ago, and such fellows as you we strung up to the nearest lamp-post. Can you make it convenient to get off at the next station?"

"That's where we intend to stop," said the tall man meekly.

"That is fortunate. It will save you a good deal of trouble. Now, boy, come back into the other car. We have no further business with these gentlemen."

Going back, they sat down in the same seat.

"I am very much obliged to you for getting me out of the scrape," said Robert gratefully.

"Don't mention it."

"Do you really think they were——?"

"Crooks? Yes. They had all the signs. I've rubbed against such fellows before now. These fellows are not smart. They don't understand the rudiments of the business."

"You spoke of San Francisco. Have you been there?" asked Robert with interest.

"I lived there and at the mines for five years."

"Were you lucky?"

"You mean, did I strike it rich? Well, I had middling luck. I didn't go there for nothing. How much do you think I had when I landed at Frisco?"

[Pg 64]

"A hundred dollars?"

"I had just three dollars and a half. I had one extra shirt, and that was about all."

"That wasn't a very large supply. Where did you go from?"

"I was raised in Vermont. Worked on a farm for dad till I was twenty-two. Then with fifty dollars, which I had in the savings bank, I started for California. Well, I got there at last, but my funds were almost gone. I got a chance to do some rough work till I had enough to go to the mines. There I made something of a pile, enough to pay off the mortgage on the old farm, and have ten thousand dollars left. I've just come from there."

"Do you ever expect to go back to the mines?"

"Yes. I should not be satisfied now to remain at the East. Where are you going?"

"To the city."

"To get a place?"

"Yes, if I can."

"Have you parents living?"

"I have a mother," said Robert slowly.

"And you want to get work to help support her?"

"No, she has plenty of money."

[Pg 65]

"Then why do you leave home?"

Robert looked at his companion. His plain, honest face impressed him favorably. He felt that he was a man in whom he could confide.

"I have a step-father," he said briefly.

"I understand. You and he don't hitch horses. Is that so?"

"You are right."

"Tell me all about it."

"I will. I should like to ask somebody's advice. I want to know whether I have done right."

"Go ahead, my lad."

Robert told the story, and the miner listened attentively.

"Do you know what I think of that step-father of yours?"

"Tell me."

"I think he is about as mean a skunk as I ever heard mentioned. What made your mother marry him?"

"I don't know. She must have been infatuated."

"I suppose you had an easy time at home."

"Yes, I did."

"And now you will have to work for a living?"

"Yes, but I don't mind that."

[Pg 66]

"I see you're the right sort," said the miner approvingly.

They had reached the next station. In the next car there was a tumult and a noise as of men scuffling. The miner rose and opened the door of the car.

He and Robert saw the two men who had tried to swindle our hero in the hands of two angry men, who hustled them out of the car with such violence that they fell prostrate beside the track.

"What's the matter?" asked the miner.

"These men tried to relieve me of my watch. They won't try it again in a hurry."

Bruised by the fall, the two men picked themselves up and slunk away.

"They're a precious pair of rascals," said the miner. "If we had them at the mines, they would soon dangle from the branch of a tree."