“That’s easy said,” put in Candon, “mind you, I don’t blame myself for joining in with you same as I did, you were after me, anyhow, and I didn’t know you from Adam, but it was a low-down trick making you sign that contract, binding you to put me ashore with five thousand dollars in my pocket after handing you over the Dutchman, which was myself. That’s what’s been getting me the last few days. It was just the same with the yacht business. I started out only to douse the liquor, but when it came to stripping the diamonds and money off those ducks I was as keen as McGinnis, then when the thing was done and the stuff safely hived, I was mortal sorry for myself. I’ve got a black streak in me and that’s the truth, nigger black, and there’s no use talking.”
“No matter,” said Hank. “Forget it. You’ve got a damn big white streak in you, B. C. I reckon we’re all pretty much striped if it comes to that—anyhow what we’ve got to do now is save that girl and get the boodle. You can skip when we’ve collared the stuff—it’ll be something to bring back to ’Frisco anyhow.”
“I’m going back with you to ’Frisco,” said Candon, “I’m not afraid to face the music.”
“Well, there’s time enough to talk about that,” put in the other. “The thing is now to get the girl. Time’s up and we’ve got to start. What’s your plan?”
“Rush them,” said Candon. “Three of our Chinks will be enough with us to help in the shouting, go and pick three of them, will you? Then we’ll row ashore, leave the boat beached, crawl over those rocks ’tween us and the next bay, get right up to the edge of their camp and stampede them, shouting like ballyhoos and firing over their heads. One of us had better look after the girl and pick her up and waltz off with her, I reckon I’m the strongest, maybe, and I’ll do the snatching—don’t use more than two rounds apiece when you let off over their heads, you’ll maybe want the rest if the hatchet men show fight.”
“That’s clear,” said Hank. “I’ll go pick the Chinks.”
He left the cabin and the two others turned their attention to the Lugger pistols, emptied the magazines, oiled them, tried the mechanism and refilled them. Then with the pistols and extra ammunition they came on deck.
The waning moon had not yet risen, but the stars were beginning to blaze, and against them the peak of San Nicolas with its cloud top looked like a giant with a turbaned head. Through the windless night the wash of the waves on the beach came clear, rhythmical, slumbrous like the pulse of the sleeping sea.
Hank had got his men into the boat, he took the pistol handed to him by Candon and the ammunition, then, with a glance at the deck where Charley was in charge, he led the way overside and the boat pushed off.
“You’re sure of the Chinks?” asked George in a whisper as they rowed.