Pell turned to both Hardy and Lopez, and addressed them: "Bluffing, were you?"
Lopez was quick to retort: "And was you bluffing when you bidded ze two 'ondred sousand dollars?"
Hardy was agitated. "I'm afraid we were a bit hasty," he tried to explain things away.
This tickled Uncle Henry's bump of humor. He chuckled, and cried, "Ho, ho! Serves you both gol darn good and right!" He seemed to go into a spasm of laughter.
Pell's chief concern now was to get out of the mess—to get away; to have everything settled. Lopez could probably be dealt with, man to man.
"Look here," he suggested, in a direct attack, "can't we settle things some way?"
"Yes," the bandit replied. "From my headquarters in Chihuahua I will give you pen, ink, messenger-boy—everysing!"
"But I—" Pell started to say.
But Lopez broke in: "You will please listen more and speak less. I 'ave decide. You I shall 'old for ransom. And," turning to Hardy, "you; and you," pointing to Uncle Henry, "you who 'ave nossing, I shall leave be'ind."
Pell and Hardy felt that the game was over.