“Leave us here!” cried Gus in terror.
“Exactly. Leave you here to the darkness and the rats.” Colonel Mendix gave a cold laugh. “Oh, I can tell you the rats are nice companions, especially when they crawl all over you and nip you in the legs.”
Gus gave a shiver. The idea of a rat attacking him!
“Perhaps you would like to tell something,” went on the colonel.
“Don’t you do it,” put in Oliver.
“Not much,” replied Gus. “If you don’t say anything, you can depend upon it neither will I.”
“Come, what do you say?” went on the Spaniard impatiently.
“I refer you to my friend,” said Gus. “He is the only one to do the talking for this crowd. Your threats don’t frighten me for a cent,” he added boastfully, more to keep up his courage than aught else.
“And you would rather be left here to starve to death?”