Hope died within Ralph's breast. His head fell forward. "Nahnya foresaw this," he thought. "She is always right. I have ruined everything. What is there left for me?"
Joe looked at Stack. It was clear that he had come to lean on the little man's evil perspicacity.
"It's true all right," said Stack. "He'd have kept his mouth shut if it was a lie."
"Now let him go," said Kitty again.
"Hold your horses," said Joe; "I didn't say——"
"You promised!" cried Kitty wildly.
"I'll keep to my promise," said Joe—"in my own time. I'd be a fool to let him loose now to make trouble for us. We're going to push off at dawn. I'll leave him tied to the tree, and as soon as we're gone you can come and cut him loose!"
"He'll pot us from the shore!" Stack piped up excitedly.
"He'll not raise a gun with that arm inside a month," said Joe, grinning. "Run back to your bed," he said to Kitty.
"I'll wait here until you go," she said.