Веснянки
Chapter IV
“Youneedn’tbeafraidofspeakingup,”hesaid.“Thereisn’tasoulintheLimberlostsavethebirdsandthebeasts,unlesssomeofyoursort’scomealongand’scrowdingtheprivilegesofthelegaltinints.”
“Noneofmyfriendsalong,”saidWessner.“NobodyknewIcamebutBlack,I—Imeanafriendofmine.Ifyouwanttohearsenseandactwithreason,hecanseeyoulater,butitain’tnecessary.Wecanmakealltheplansneeded.Thetrick’ssodeadsmallandeasy.”
“Mustbeifyouhavetheengineeringofit,”saidFreckles.Butheheard,withasighofrelief,thattheywerealone.
Wessnerwasimpervious.“Youjustbetitis!Why,onlythink,Freckles,slavin’awayatameaslylittlethirtydollarsamonth,andhereisachancetoclearfivehundredinaday!Yousurelywon’tbethefooltomissit!”
“Andhowwasyouproposingformetostaleit?”inquiredFreckles.“OramIjusttofinditlayinginmepathbesidetheline?”
“That’sit,Freckles,”blusteredtheDutchman,“you’rejusttofindit.Youneedn’tdoathing.Youneedn’tknowathing.Younameamorningwhenyouwillwalkupthewestsideoftheswampandthenturnroundandwalkbackdownthesamesideagainandthemoneyisyours.Couldn’tanythingbeeasierthanthat,couldit?”
“Depindsentirelyontheman,”saidFreckles.Theliltofalarkhangingabovetheswalebesidethemwasnotsweeterthanthesweetnessofhisvoice.
