“How many went around to cut our trail, neighbor?”
“Five.”
“We may be able to handle five of ’em, Bill,” said Slade. “We wouldn’t have no chance with ten. We mustn’t let ’em head us off. Brack ’ud use fire to make us tell where the gold is cached. We’ll start right away and travel light.”
Harris ran into the large cabin. I started to go back the way I had come.
“Wha-a-at? You ain’t going back to Brack’s boat, are you? Neighbor, there’ll be only hell where that devil is.”
“And for that reason I must go back there.”
“Why?”
“There is a girl—a young lady—on the yacht.”
Old Slade shook his head.
“That dirty devil! But we can’t stay and fight ten men and Brack. Well, Mr. Pitt, I reckon we owe you our lives and everything we got, but I dunno how we’re goin’ to square it with you.”