on. I now began to fear that he would tell Thirkle
what I had said to him.

When we went out for another sack, Petrak looked over at Thirkle and
hesitated as if he wanted to say something, but Thirkle was writing in a
little book, with a pistol between his feet.

"Well, what is it now?" he demanded truculently, having seen something
suspicious in Petrak's manner. "What's the lay now? What have ye got yer
hand so close to that gun for? Take a shot at me if you want--go on, take
a shot at old Thirkle, if ye're that game."

"Only a habit o' mine, keepin' my gun well for'ard, Thirkle," whimpered
Petrak, shivering. "I have to keep a close eye on the writin' chap,
Thirkle. No offence, I hope."

"Look lively now, lad," said Thirkle, turning amiable again, but only to
reassure Petrak. "Here's the last of it and get it away and we'll get
under way."

We carried another sack in and I waited until we were at the far end and
had dumped it before I began again with Petrak. I knew his natural
treachery was near the surface, and it needed but little urging to bring
him to the point when he would turn against Thirkle.

"We might as well say good-bye now," I said as mournfully as I could.
"You remember I treated you pretty well in Manila, and I'm sorry for you
now. It doesn't matter much with me how I end now, because Thirkle has
the drop on me, but I'm sorry for you--you ought to have your share of
it, and Thirkle ought to play fair with you, but he won't. That devil out
there will kill us both in the next ten minutes unless you give me a gun
and let me kill him. I'm not afraid of him--give me a gun!"

"Thirkle ain't bad," he said, as if trying to convince himself that he
was not afraid of Thirkle. "He ain't bad--he said he'd play fair with me,
and he will."

I laughed gently.

"Yes, he'll play fair--with himself. He's out there now putting down
directions for getting back here--alone. Give me a gun, and let me free,
and I'll kill him for you. When I've settled him I'll call you, and if he
gets me it's all the same--except that you'll lose in the end.

"But with me you have a chance to win--can't you see that? You haven't a
chance with Thirkle. If he gets me, don't trust him--shoot him the
minute you can get the muzzle of your pistol on him. If you let me
try you have two chances at him, and you can kill me if you choose
afterward--or give me a knife if you don't dare to let me have a gun."

"He'll do for ye. Not a chance