“A second-hand diving-suit doesn’t stack up very high against what we’re putting into this thing—Captain Holstrom and myself,” he insisted. “There was something going in from your side in addition to the divingsuit, as I understand it. But a coward can’t invest grit.”
I stopped at the door and walked back toward him.
“A what?” I inquired.
“I said ‘a coward.’”
I slapped him—not hard.
“Now come up on deck with me, Mr. Keedy. You’ve got to come after that. There’s a lady here.”
“I’m going, gentlemen,” said the girl. “Don’t mind me.” She looked at Keedy and set her lips.
But Keedy jumped up and pulled a gun instead of putting up his fists.
“I don’t fight that way, Mr. Keedy,” I told him. “I have no gun. You’d better put yours up. You can’t afford to kill me—not yet!”
“No—and that’s the devil of it,” he blurted, after waiting a moment. “You have taken advantage of—of—”