He explained the matter in the expectation that we'd pull out and leave the field to them." "You've hit it," said Saunders.

"Don't answer.

Let him speak again.
We've got to gain time." They waited several minutes in tense anxiety, for, after all, it was conceivable that, diplomacy failing, the jumper would adopt more forcible means.

Then the man waved his hand.
"You've got to decide what you're going to do," he said.
Devine proceeded to urge every reason he could think of, and held him in play a little longer, until finally the jumper lost his patience.
"Oh," he said, "you make me tired! Light out and be done with it! We're going to pull up that post." Saunders thrust forward the rifle barrel so that the moonlight sparkled on it.
"Then," he said grimly, "come right along and shift it." Instead of doing so, the man jumped back into the shadow, which was perhaps a very natural proceeding.

Then there was oppressive silence for a few minutes.