Stanley took it almost reverently.
“Quizquiz”—Stanley’s voice was tense with emotion—“we are not unmindful of the fact that to-night you were the means of saving our lives, and we are not ungrateful. But neither can we forget your previous character. The welfare of a nation depends upon us. We cannot sacrifice it. You admitted your guilt; you deserve the severest punishment possible. Therefore, you will now consider yourself our prisoner. Do you consent to arrest, or shall we use violence?”
“I give myself into your keeping freely, and I know that the worst you can do to me will not be half so much as I deserve. Here are my hands—bind them—then my feet, too.”
“No, we shall not bind you. We are not afraid of you, or that you will escape. Go to the far end of the ledge and sit down with your back toward the wall. Our guns will be trained upon you; one move, and you die, understand?”
“Your words are very plain. I will do as you command,” and he took up his station in the spot indicated.
Ted and Stanley, while never for an instant relaxing their vigilance, discussed at length the amazing turn events had taken. The problem that confronted them was a perplexing one. Had they encountered the old Quizquiz they had known it would have been an easy matter to dispose of him. But the new Quizquiz was a different person, endowed with the very virtues the other had lacked. There was also this to consider: was he sincere? Would his goodness last, or was he but playing a game with the hope of regaining the throne, when his old character should again assert itself in all its viciousness?
The problem, therefore, that they discussed far into the night, but for which they were unable to find the solution, was: “What shall we do with Quizquiz?”
CHAPTER XIX
THE BREACH IN THE MOUNTAIN IS CLOSED
“I hope the two dead tigers down there are not the only ones that remained in the crater. It would be a pity to exterminate such a wonderful species,” Stanley said toward morning. They had watched throughout the long hours of the night without seeing more of the beasts. So long as the moon shone observation had been comparatively easy, but when the bright disk dipped behind the crater walls the darkness was intense. They strained their eyes and ears but saw or heard nothing.
“It does seem a pity to destroy all of them, but what else can we do? If they are not killed they will eventually wipe out the people,” Ted returned.