He stood, be it said, all alone, in the midst of a huge swamp, from which escape could only be had by means of a boat, and into which he had been conducted blindfolded. Around him were men, all ready at any instant to take his life for the merest excuse; and already the lives of his three friends were sacrificed unless he could do something—and that very speedily—to save them.
In the cellar at the cottage he had not dared to look squarely at his chief, for fear that the inclination on his own part to make some sort of signal would be too strong for him to resist; and he had known that Madge was watching every act and motion, as a cat watches a mouse.
When he left the cottage, and had gone as far as the edge of the glade, he halted, and waited there for Handsome, for he guessed that the man would be sent away directly; and when Handsome did come, Patsy said to him:
"Sure, Handsome, will ye tell me what is to be done wid the others?"
"I haven't made up my mind about that yet," replied Handsome.
"And is it left to you that it is?"
"Certainly."
"Faith, but that's fine. I wish it was left to me, so I do."
"What would you do to them, Pat?"
"I'd skin 'em, begorra!"