"Then what can you do?" demanded Betty.
"Exterminate them."
"Your proposal, Nikka, seems somewhat—er—shall I say savage?" objected Vernon King.
"We are fighting savages," retorted Nikka swiftly. "I still feel as I did last night that I don't want to risk any of our lives, treasure or no treasure, beyond what is essential to our safety. But the fact remains there is but one kind of treatment those people will understand. They are clever, remorseless, merciless. You can—"
There was a knock on the door. Watkins answered it. His back stiffened as he peered through the crack.
"A moment, if you please, sir," he said coldly, refastened the door and turned to us.
"Mr. 'Ilyer would like a word with your ludship."
Hugh rose, his jaw set.
"I'll talk to him outside," he said.
Watkins reopened the door, and bowed him out. We heard his first icy words: