irkle'll do for 'im--right ye are,
Red--just as 'e'd done for the two of us, Red."

"Bucky was a good sort, too."

"We was all good sorts," said Jim. "We was all good sorts and fine men,
Reddy, when the bloomink loot was coming and there was windpipes to slit,
and 'e had to 'ave 'ands to do the work for 'im. Ye mind what he told me,
Reddy?"

"What was it Thirkle told ye, Jim? I'd give a bob to know. Was it about
me, Jim?"

"Tells me the same bloody thing 'e told ye," said Jim, shutting one eye
and making a grimace to impress Petrak.

"What's that, Jim? I don't remember of what ye mean."

"Tells me to do for ye down the trail."

"The beggar!" said Petrak.

"Gawd strike me blind if 'e didn't! 'Take a walk for yerself down the
trail with Petrak,' he says. 'Mind when ye get a chance and 'ook a knife
in his kidneys, and do it neat and clean; and then there'll be only three
of us to cut this pile 'ere three ways--me, Bucky, and yer own self,
Jim.'

"That's what 'e said, Reddy; strike me blind! Like you did, I says I'll
do it. Ye see his gyme? We'd do for each other in a fight, and so take
the job off 's 'ands. Buckrow and 'im think it's done now; but 'e'll get
Bucky at the last, too, or I'm a beggar.

"That's 'is gyme, Red--do for all of us and 'ave the gold all to
'imself--and no sailormen what know what 'e's been up to out 'ere coming
around to tap on 'is window of a night when 'e's asleep and ask for the
price of a drink, or 'e'll have the police down on 'im and tell Scotland
Yard' e's the Devil's Hadmiral. He wants the pile to 'imself, and never a
bit more does 'e care for the likes of us than for the throats we've cut
for 'im for the gettin' of it all."

"Sure," said Reddy. "He wants it all for himself, to be a fine gentleman
and a church member and have his tipple and fine eatin'. We better move
on a bit now, Jim, or they'll be after us."

They shouldered the pole again and went on, and I followed them for a
time, trying to estimate the position of Captain Riggs on the trail from
where I was; but in the excitement of following Petrak and Long Jim I had
lost my bearings.

Their course through the jungle had been devious and without much
clearness as to a general direction, for first one would advise one way,
and then the other another; and there were times when they had been
compelled by the brush and gullies to go out of their way.

But I had a general idea that by turning sharply to the right I might