“I wish he hadn’t said anything about it,” Nelse whispered, “for now I begin to feel as if I must have a drink.”
“You’ll have to take it out in feeling for a while, because it would be the height of folly to venture away from this place until father comes.”
“And that may not be for a week.”
“It can’t be helped, unless——”
“Unless what?” Nelse asked, eagerly, as Gil hesitated.
“I fancied for a minute that we might possibly make a trade with these fellows. How would it do to tell them they might go, if their friends would bring us water and food?”
“It isn’t probable they’d agree to it.”
“I reckon they are like almost everybody else, and would do a good deal to save their own lives.”
“That is true, and it couldn’t do any harm to try the scheme, although I don’t believe it will amount to anything; but it’s only fair Jenkins should know what we intend to do.”
“Go up the tunnel, and ask him what he thinks of the plan. I’ll stay here on watch, and if he agrees we can make Andy do the talking.”