He spoke of it as quite a clever and
creditable performance, and one as fully deserving the golden honors of
the medal as many of those doings which are so rewarded.
On this point his companion said little; and though he could not
altogether comprehend the propriety of the pedler's morals, he certainly
did not see but that the necessity and pressing danger of his situation
somewhat sanctioned the deceit. He suggested this idea to Bunce, but
when he came to talk of the propriety of returning the animal the moment
he was fairly in safety, the speculator failed entirely to perceive the
moral of his philosophy.
The sheriff's officers came upon the wagoner a few hours after the two
had separated from him. The intelligence received from him quickened
their pace, and toward noon they descried our travellers ascending a
hill a few hundred yards in advance of them. A repeated application of
the spur brought them together, and, as had been anticipated by Rivers,
Ralph offered not the slightest objection, when once satisfied of the
legality of his arrest, to becoming their prisoner.
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