If I do you may put a bullet through me." "That's all right," I said in an offhand fashion, though inwardly I glowed with pride at the success of my great idea, for at the time I thought it great, and went on, "Now let us get to business.

The first thing to do is to trek to Strathmuir and make preparations; the next to start upon the trail.

Come to sit on the waggon with me and tell me what guns and ammunition you have got, for according to Hans those savages don't seem to have touched anything, except a few blankets and a herd of goats." He did as I asked, telling me all he could remember.

Then he said, "It is a strange thing, but now I recall that about two years ago a great savage with a high nose, who talked a sort of Arabic which, like Inez, I understand, having lived on the coast, turned up one day and said he wanted to trade.

I asked him what in, and he answered that he would like to buy some children.