"Trust me. I—"
But Kirby himself appeared at that moment, having returned from a voyage of exploration. Said he: "There's a good town below. I had a chance to sell the outfit."
"Going to do it?" Danny could not conceal his eagerness.
The elder man shook his gray head. "Hardly. I'm no piker."
"I wish you and Danny would take the portage and trust the pilot to run the rapids," Rouletta said.
Kirby turned his expressionless face upon first one then the other of his companions. "Nervous?" he inquired of Royal.
The latter silently admitted that he was.
"Go ahead. You and Letty cross afoot—"
"And you?"
"Oh, I'm going to stick!"