The brigand shouted again, but still we advanced.

It was getting late, and we had no time to fool away on every ass that wanted to drivel Greek platitudes to us.

We would just as soon have talked with him as not if we had not been in a hurry.

Presently Denny said, "Those fellows are following us!" We turned, and, sure enough, there they were--three fantastic pirates armed with guns.

We slackened our pace to let them come up, and in the meantime I got out my cargo of grapes and dropped them firmly but reluctantly into the shadows by the wayside.