'I 'm afraid the chief will be disappointed at our returning without his son,' said Trentham, 'but I hope he 'll see reason. We couldn't possibly have rescued him.'
'Clearly not,' said Hoole. 'There wasn't time to discover exactly where the Germans keep their slaves. I guess we 'll have to reconnoitre again, from the other side, before we can see our way clear. The absence of the Raider would help us considerably, for there appeared to be only about half a dozen Germans on the spot. I wish I could have seen whether that fellow cracking the whip was Hahn.'
'Why?'
'Well, we don't owe the skunk a great deal; besides, he 's got my watch.'
CHAPTER IX
COMPLICATIONS
'Does my eye squint, Ephraim, me lad?' asked Grinson, looking up into the face of his taller companion.
Meek gazed so earnestly at his questioner that his eyes converged.
'I don't see no sign of it, Mr. Grinson,' he said, 'and I wouldn't suppose as how you 'd be visited with that affliction at your time of life.'
'That's what I thought. Then why the mischief can't I hit that tree?'