At last
the captor spoke.
'Know you who I am?'
'A Queen's officer.'
'Ha, ha, ha!' And the man's strong, cruel voice resounded far
through the solitudes of the wood.
'No! I am not a Queen's officer; but I am captain of the sturdy men
who have made yonder bush a terror to the Province of Upper Canada. I
have heard about the duel and the fall of Ham. You have rid the world
of at least one worthless cur, and this is why I waited for your
coming, to offer you, for the present, the security of our dense bush
and treacherous bogs.'
Roland hesitated. The fellow seemed to speak the truth; therefore
what had he to fear with respect to his personal safety. He had some
money and a watch; this the highwayman could have had now for the
asking. Yet these men bore the reputes of atrocious criminals to whom
every sort of lawlessness was familiar. However, he need not
compromise himself by taking part in their enterprises. The main
thing was the chief of the band had offered him an asylum; and as a
last resort, if the place became intolerable he could flee from it.
'Yes; I will accept your offer.'
'Good.
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