if he thinks he'd ought to protect every galoot on his boat, why, maybe
he'd ought. What you know is that that white nigger's _got_ to be took
away from them two barnstormers instanter and restored back to her own
Hayle folks. That's a mistake you ain't never got to ask nobody's leaves
to save nobody from."

"You don't mean to-night?" Capital disguise for eagerness--the cigar.
The senator puffed. The pair puffed.

"We mean now; when the right men can be woke up and the others--and the
ladies--sleep on. Now, straightaway, while the shouter's still
aboard--and the two shooters. If we wa'n't sporting men we'd like to sit
into that game ourselves. Maybe we can if it's kept--dignified."

"Even if there's resistance?"

"Who'll resist? The boat's people? Only thing they dassen't resist.
Couldn't never run another trip on this river. Resist! Couldn't ever
resist, any time; but now? Look at their fix. Sweet time to set
everybody a-kicking like steers. Bishop dead, chief Dutch woman ditto,
that nice young Hayle boy that they took away from us when he wanted to
stay like a man, ditto----"

"Oh, not dead? My God! I hadn't heard that."

"No, it ain't been properly advertised. But Hamlet knows it--I mean your
actor. The way him and his wife--or lady--are buzzing around, you'd
think they was the undertakers. Maybe they are. _He_ won't resist. He
knows how well resistance would suit you--oh, not yourself, no more'n
us, but--the crowd; men like them three that's locked up and must be
turned loose first thing. He knows if he lifts a finger, or so much as
gives anybody any of his lip--and maybe anyhow--he'll be took ashore and
lost in the woods, first time we stop to bury some more Dutch; say
daybreak."

"Ah, but we mustn't let that happen, either."

"Oh, no! we mustn't let that happen, either."

"Well"--the senator put on a bustling frown--"I'll see Hugh. I wish--I
wonder if that Californian has----"

"Put up his shutters? No, he's on the roof. Why?"

"He might help wake up the right men, as you say."

One of the pair, without rising, tapped the senator caressingly.
"You--let--California--sweat. Trust in Providence. The right men'll get
woke up somehow, beginning with the general. That right?... All gay, but
don't you take no California in yourn to-night."

"No? Very well. But--I wonder if you gentlemen really recognize the
seriousness of this affair."

"Look a-here, senator, you go up-stairs and save Mr. Innocence from