“That is true,” he remarked. “Reist, I am sure that we can trust Mr. Brand. He is not in league with any of those who would hinder us upon our journey.”
“That may be so,” Reist answered, “but he knows too much for our safety. There must be an understanding between us. A single paragraph in his newspaper to-morrow as to our journey, and we shall have as much chance of reaching the moon as Theos.”
Brand, who was writing upon a telegraph-form, paused at once. They were on the side of the steamer, remote from the bustle of departure, and almost alone.
“There is likely to be trouble, then, on the frontier, or before?” he inquired. “You have opponents?”
“So much so,” Reist answered, fiercely, “that if we were in Theos now, and you talked of filling the newspapers with idle gossip of us and our affairs, we should not stop to argue the matter with you.”
Brand laughed softly.
“I don’t want to do you any harm,” he said. “We must compromise matters.”
Reist misunderstood him.
“An affair of money,” he exclaimed. “I understand. We will give your paper one, two hundred pounds, to make no mention of Theos for a week.”
Brand glanced at Ughtred with twinkling eyes.