"No, a ready wit. But let us not waste words. Verbum sat sapienti. Truly my Latin needs a little furbishing; still, 'twill serve. Look you, friend, I offer thee a clean, straight bargain. Go thy way and let me go mine."
"The time has gone for bargaining," I answered sternly. "I will stay here till help arrives. 'Twill not be long, I fancy."
On hearing that his thin lips parted in a grin which showed two rows of firm-set teeth and made his face a picture of maliciousness.
"Ah, say you so?" he hissed. "Then I am ready. In omnia paratus. And yet again, eventus stultorum magister."
With that he disappeared from view, the branches shook, and in a flash I knew that he was bent on swift pursuit and murder. But scarcely had he moved when a cry rang out behind me, and turning round, I saw my father speeding round the wood-end, twenty yards off, with a pistol in his hand.
"Have a care! Come not too close!" I shouted, pointing to the tree. "He is up there, with a pistol!"
"Who?"
"The man we want."
"He is fairly caught, then," quoth my father grimly, as he stopped and cocked his pistol.
"Be not too sure of that," I answered.