"And it would warn them that we were onto the fact that boats can go up, and that we intend to go."
"Oh, you intend to go, do you? How, for instance?"
"That tub, the Cormorant, is going up. I don't know when, but that's where she's bound. I'm going on her."
Higgins made no reply.
"You don't want to tackle it, I see."
"No, you don't see anything of the sort," retorted Higgins. "I'm going with you all right; I've made up my mind to that. I was just trying to figure how we are going to work it. You're right; if we tell 'em we're staying here, the Cormorant won't go up. There's something slick going on round here so we've got to be slickers ourselves. We've got to sneak on 'em."
"Sneak? What for? I've got a right to go up and look at the land I've paid money on."
"Sure, so has that flock of suckers on the boat; but you don't see them going, do you?"
"I wonder if the whole crowd demanded to be taken up——?"
"Pooh! They're sheep and Granger's got them hypnotized. You say one word against the Colony and you'd be an outcast among 'em. No; we've got to let them go."