“‘“Punish they are. On’y five bad men in my tribe. One shot by he,” he pointed to me. “De oders I flog.”
“‘“But, my dear Red Toad, what is to prevent the same thing from occurring again?”
“‘“Dear white chief, snake is one ugly thing, but snake not much danger if he not able to put on his head in the morning. Behold the gift I bring you!”
“‘He lifted his finger, and two red Indians advanced solemnly, carrying a basket. They removed the grass that hid the contents, and I confess that I, for one, was shocked to behold the heads of the very savages we had attacked in the clearing. The sardonic grin of death still overspread their features. It was a sight I shall never forget.
“‘O’More briefly told the chief he was forgiven, and beckoned them all away.
“‘But we soon forgot the adventure.
“‘Then after dinner—and a delightful one it was—I was asked for my story.
“‘I begun by saying, “What will you say and do, Mr. O’More, and you, Miss Aileen, when I tell you plainly that you are at this minute entertaining pirates?”
“‘Aileen started, and turned red and white by turns.
“‘O’More merely lit his pipe.