it. He reloaded carefully. Then he
remembered he was hungry and went off, gun under his arm, to hunt in and
about the refreshment shed. He had the sense to perceive that he must
not show himself with the gun to the Prince and his companion. So long
as they thought him unarmed they would leave him alone, but there was
no knowing what the Napoleonic person might do if he saw Bert's weapon.
Also he did not go near them because he knew that within himself boiled
a reservoir of rage and fear that he wanted to shoot these two men. He
wanted to shoot them, and he thought that to shoot them would be a quite
horrible thing to do. The two sides of his inconsistent civilisation
warred within him.

Near the shed the kitten turned up again, obviously keen for milk. This
greatly enhanced his own angry sense of hunger. He began to talk as he
hunted about, and presently stood still, shouting insults. He talked of
war and pride and Imperialism. "Any other Prince but you would have died
with his men and his ship!" he cried.

The two Germans at the machine heard his voice going ever and again
amidst the clamour of the waters. Their eyes met and they smiled
slightly.

He was disposed for a time to sit in the refreshment shed waiting for
them, but then it occurred to him that so he might get them both at
close quarters. He strolled off presently to the point of Luna Island to
think the situation out.

It had seemed a comparatively simple one at first, but as he turned it
over in his mind its possibilities increased and multiplied. Both these
men had swords,--had either a revolver?

Also, if he shot them both, he might never find the food!

So far he had been going about with this gun under his arm, and a sense
of lordly security in his mind, but what if they saw the gun and decided
to ambush him? Goat Island is nearly all cover, trees, rocks, thickets,
and irregularities.

Why not go and murder them both now?

"I carn't," said Bert, dismissing that. "I got to be worked up."

But it was a mistake to get right away from them. That suddenly became
clear. He ought to keep them under observation, ought to "scout" them.
Then he would be able to see what they were doing, whether either of
them had a revolver, where they had hidden the food. He would be better
able to determine what they meant to do to him. If he didn't "scout"
them, presently they would begin to "scout" him. This seemed so
eminently reasonable that he acted upon it fort