"The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry (adapted)

Part Two

Bill and I started writing the letter. Red Chief played outside the cave.

"Let's ask Mr Dorset for $1,500 instead of $2,000. I don't think anyone will pay $2,000 for that terrible kid," Bill said.

This is the letter we prepared:

I put the letter in my pocket. The kid looked at me and said, "Snake Eye, I want to play Black Scout."

"You can play Black Scout now. Bill will play with you. What's the game like?"

"I'm the Black Scout, I have to ride to the fort to help the pioneers," said the kid.

"All right," I said. "I think Bill will play with you."

"What must I do?" asked Bill.

"You're the horse," said the Black Scout. "Get down on your hands and knees. I must ride to the fort."

Bill got down on his hands and knees. He was scared.

"How far is it to the fort?" he asked.

"Ninety miles," said the Black Scout. "And you must gallop fast because the pioneers are in danger."

The Black Scout jumped on Bill's back and started kicking him.

"Please, Sam, come back soon," Bill said. "Listen, kid, don't kick me or I'll..."

I went to Poplar Cove and talked to some people at the post office. One man said, "Old Mr Ebenezer Dorset of Summit is upset because he can't find his son. The boy's probably lost or kidnapped."

That was all I wanted to know. I mailed my letter and asked, "When is the mailman taking the mail to Summit?"

"In an hour," said a man at the post office.

When I returned to the cave there was no one. I looked around but I couldn't find the kid or Bill. So I sat down and waited. After half an hour I heard a noise behind me. I saw Bill. The kid was behind him. He was walking silently like a scout and he had a big smile on his face. Bill stopped and took off his hat. He was very tired.

"Sam," said Bill, "I'm not a coward, but that kid is impossible. I sent him home. He's gone! He rode on me for ninety miles. I had to eat sand for lunch. He asked me hundreds of questions and I had to answer them. Then he kicked my legs and... But now he's gone. I'm sorry to lose the ransom, Sam, but that kid was horrible. I was going crazy!"

"Bill," I said, "do you have heart disease?"

"No. Why?"

"Turn around and look behind you."

Bill turned around and saw the kid. Poor Bill, he was very surprised. He suddenly sat down on the grass and he couldn't speak.

After some time I said, "This evening at 8.30 p.m. we'll have an answer from Dorset. And at midnight we'll have the money! Then we can leave this place." Bill finally smiled weakly.

I had a great plan for collecting the ransom money that evening. It was a professional plan. I found a tree at Poplar Cove near the road with big fields on all sides. I went to hide in the big tree and I waited for the messenger. He arrived at 8.30 p.m. on a bicycle. He put a piece of paper in the box and returned to Summit.

I waited an hour, climbed down the tree, got the letter and returned to the cave. I read the letter to Bill.

"WHAT? I can't believe it..." I cried.

Bill looked at me and said, "Sam, we've got $250. I don't want to spend another night with that kid. I'm going crazy. Let's accept Dorset's offer."

"You know, Bill, you're right. I'm really tired of the kid too. We'll take him home, pay the ransom and leave this place."

We decided to take the kid home that night.

"Listen, kid," I said, "your father bought you a new rifle and a pair of Indian moccasins. Tonight we're going home to get the rifle and the moccasins. Tomorrow we're going to hunt bears in the forest."

It was midnight when we arrived at Ebenezer's house. Bill gave him the $250. When the kid saw that we wanted to leave him at home he was furious. He started screaming loudly and took Bill's leg. His father pulled him away with great difficulty.

"How long can you hold him?" asked Bill.

"I'm not very strong but I can probably hold him for ten minutes," said Mr Dorset.

"Good," said Bill. "In ten minutes I'll run across most of the United States and reach Canada!"

Bill was fat and he was not a good runner. But that night no one ran faster than Bill.