“And so did I,” interposed Hawks.
“Then it’s dollars to a coyote flea that’s why you two were singled out as the first objects of his wrath,” declared Ki Yi. “He probably heard in some way that you’d put your names to the petition, and then later that you’d both gone out on the range to round up and drive in your steers for market. His intentions were, more’n likely, to add Sarah’s and Amy’s scalps to his collections, but finding you had both returned, he vented his wrath upon Sam by driving off his cattle and leaving a trail big enough for a baby to find leading into the Sangammon bottom lands, so’s he could get you into one of those mudholes. And when he found Hen was back, he decided to vary operations by burning the home outfit.”
Though this speech was the longest consecutive one the cowboy had ever made in his life and was somewhat involved, the others followed it closely, their thorough concurrence in the views signified by frequent noddings of their heads.
But the final touch of approval came from Slippery Nig.
“Some paleface plenty wise,” he declared, his weather-beaten and battle-scarred face breaking into a smile of praise.
“Keep on talking, you two, you’ll soon have him really pleasant,” chuckled Bowser.
And, in obedience, Deadshot took up the task of interpreting Nig’s remarks where he had left off when Ki Yi began his explanation of the raids.
“Nig, knowing Louie’s cunning, did not like the way you-all greeted us when we came up. He’s out on a little scouting party for Louie himself—on account of that performance in which I played the part of the hero, I suppose.
“That’s probably one of the principal reasons why he agreed to join forces with us. And, because he’s out on this little trip, he doesn’t want us to make so much noise that Louie will come snooping round to find what’s doing and get wise to the fact that Nig is with us. For, if there is anybody slicker in trailing and such things than Louie, it’s Nig—and Louie knows it.
“Consequently, if Louie should see Nig with us, he would know he was on the war path and light out—which would spoil what seems like a lovely little chance for Nig to save Uncle Sam a lot of expense by putting him where he can’t take any more scalps.”