"That"s true," said Jefferson.
"Let"s do it," said Harkaway, who was pacing up and down impatiently; "at any rate, any thing is better than remaining inactive."
CHAPTER XXI.
A HOUSE OF MOURNING--THE LETTER FROM THE ENEMY--A STRANGE CORRESPONDENCE--THE INCIDENT AT THE OPEN WINDOW--HUNSTON"S REVENGE-- DESPAIR.
It was as Jefferson had predicted.
The notices were printed and circulated everywhere by well-chosen and energetic agents.
Early next morning, a letter was found fastened to the garden gate.
It was brought to Harkaway, who was already up and busy.
He tore it eagerly open, and found the following written in a disguised handwriting and in English--
"TO Mr. JOHN HARKAWAY:
"If you would save the lives of your son and your _protege_, his companion, the only way to do it is to bring the sum of five hundred pounds sterling to the stone cross by the old well at two o"clock this afternoon. Those who have the two boys in their keeping will be on the watch. Come along, as you value your happiness and their safety."
"Not very likely," said Jack Harkaway.
Instead of complying with this very shallow request, he wrote an answer in these terms:
"TO HUNSTON AND HIS FELLOW-VILLAINS:
"Send the lads back here. Within half-an-hour of their return, the money shall be sent to where you will and when you will. This I promise, and swear upon my honour. None knows better than yourself that this may be implicitly relied upon.
"HARKAWAY."
This letter he sent by a trusty messenger to the spot appointed for the meeting place, and they waited impatiently for the further result.
It was not long coming.
Before two o"clock, Marietta discovered another letter tied to the garden gate, but how it came there they were unable to decide.
Be that as it may, it was soon discovered to be of the highest importance to them in the present state of affairs.
It was brief and startling, and ran as follows--
"We do not bandy words with you. We offer our conditions. You refuse.
Well and good. The consequences be upon your own head. If the money be not paid by four to-day, at six the boys will lose an ear each,"
"The villains!" cried poor Harkaway. "Oh, villains!"
But he was powerless to help them.
He knew well enough that, do what he would, he could not hope to get the boys back without paying, and paying through the nose too.
Nor indeed did he desire to try to achieve this.
The only question was, would they deliver up their prisoners, once they had received the five hundred pounds?
Perhaps.
Perhaps not.
If not, they would be in as much peril as they were already.
Nay, more.
He guessed shrewdly enough that once they had received such a handsome sum as five hundred pounds, they would think that they had drained him dry, or as nearly so as it was possible to arrive at, and so might make short work of young Jack and Harry Girdwood.
What was to be done?
He could not say.
He would gladly have risked all that he possessed in the world for the chance of having his boys back.
Aye, his boys, for Harry Girdwood was second only in Harkaway"s affection to young Jack.
But he did not wish to reward the miscreants for ill-treating the unfortunate lads.
At length he came to the conclusion that he would persist in his resolve to have the boys back before he parted with any money at all.
Accordingly he wrote another note to the brigands.
This he dispatched by the same means as the former note.
"Release the two lads. Restore them to us, and the ransom of a king shall be yours. Fix upon any sum, however great, provided that it be within my means to pay it, and you shall not ask twice. Moreover, I shall do nothing more to molest you or interfere with you in any way.
Play false, or harm a hair of my boys" heads, and beware. You may know that Jack Harkaway is not the man to make an enemy of."
The answer to this was not long in coming.
An ugly scrawl upon a dirty piece of paper, and with it was a small parcel.
"We despise your threats, and laugh you to scorn. That you may know how little we are to be trifled with, we send you their ears in proof that we have kept our word. By this hour to-morrow the two boys die, unless you pay down the sum as fixed upon by us, both in manner and in amount."
Jack Harkaway turned faint and sick.
He dared nor open the parcel which accompanied the letter.
He sent for Jefferson and Harvey, and unable to trust himself to speak, he placed the letter in the latter"s hands.