“That’s true,” I agreed. “But the gas-jacket won’t carry two very far, as we know, and the girl can’t very well go alone.”
Allerton was thoughtful for a moment. Then he said:
“Chaka is a little too heavy for this task, as has been proven. We must select the lightest of our party to carry Ama away to the Seagull, where Captain Steele will take good care of her. One of you three boys—”
“Joe’s the lightest,” I said.
“I think you are, Sam.”
“Well, I’m not going,” I declared. “You don’t weigh a pound more than I do, Joe.”
“Don’t argue, Sam,” exclaimed Allerton, sternly. “This is not a matter of choice, but of necessity. You must be far lighter in weight than any of us, and I command you to save Ama.”
“Well, there’s lots of time to decide,” I returned. “We’re all safe enough in this fortress for the present.”
They took this for an admission that I consented; but I had not the slightest intention of deserting my comrades for the sake of a girl.
We now began to examine our arms and equipment, to see how much fight there was left to us. In our storage belts were only a couple of dozen charges for the electrites, all told. Some had four or five, some less. There were extra belts in our room in the wing of the priests’ palace, but we could not get at them now. Our firearms were in even worse condition. There were four shots in Ned’s repeating rifle and one in Paul’s. Every revolver was emptied but mine, and I had just one cartridge to the good.