"What for? Because you can't help yourself, that's what for!" and now the veneering of gentlemanliness vanished. "I call on you to surrender. If you won't, I'll open fire on you in less than five minutes."
"Make it ten minutes, Captain," and Deck kept on smiling.
"Ten minutes?" And the smile and the request perplexed the Confederate not a little, as it also perplexed Life Knox. The latter could not imagine what the major was driving at, for while he was a good soldier, and a first-class shot, diplomacy, military or otherwise, was beyond him.
"Exactly, ten minutes—or possibly quarter of an hour."
"I shall not wait longer than five minutes."
"Then I'll try to make five minutes do, although it will hardly be time enough."
"Time enough for what?"
"Time enough for me to arrange my plans for giving you battle," answered Deck, as calmly as ever.
"See here, do you take me for a—a fool?" cried the Confederate captain. "What are you driving at? I won't waste any more words with you."
"Won't you?" Deck had his field-glasses in his hand, and now he pointed them to the northward of the rocky elevation. "They are coming, Life!" he cried. "We are all right! Come on back!" And he waved his hand to his companion. "Good day, Captain, and I don't think I'll surrender—now!"