f them, and, in case it proved to be
the camp, learn what might be the most advantageous method for our
attack.

"My back is broke," I heard Petrak whine. "What with packin' the whole
blasted cargo into the hills and this jaunt now. Why couldn't he leave it
close to the beach, I want to know? Who wants to be packin' it out again
some day like a coolie? Snug enough, I say, close down to the water, and
who's to know? Think we was buryin' of it for Kingdom Come! Fine job he's
makin' of it!"

"'E's no bloody monkey, Thirkle ain't," said Long Jim. "It's us that's
the bloomink idiots! 'My last 'aul,' says 'e. 'Your last haul, 'ell!'
says me to him. I tells him to mind the rest of us 'as a 'and in the gold
as well as in the gittin' of it. Ye think 'e's goin' to let us in on
this? Not Thirkle, Reddy.

"It's every bloody man for 'imself now, and the devil take the 'indmost,
which he will, I say. Thought 'e'd 'ave the whole of it all to himself,
did he? I knowed 'e'd give us dirt when it come to some big cut like
this, and that's why I'm for gittin' mine and goin' on with it this wise.
'Eave up, Reddy, and skip for it."

I crawled up and peered through the bushes just as they were shouldering
a bamboo pole from which was slung the sack of gold. They went on, and I
followed them, confident that they would lead me to Thirkle's camp,
although the direction of their march puzzled me; and I could make no
sense of their complaints other than that they disliked the labour of
transporting the gold.

As I fell in behind them, following almost in their tracks, I discovered
that they were following no trail, but were making a new way to the
beach. And when they came to where the going was easy they rushed ahead
in such a panic that I suspected they were in flight from Thirkle, and
when they began to argue over the direction they should take I realized
that they were running away from Thirkle. They were stealing a sack of
the gold and making for the boats to escape with it.

"Bear to port, I say!" said Long Jim. "Keep off the old road, or ye'll
have the beggar after us. Keep to port if ye know what's good for us."

They let down their burden again, and I saw Long Jim stoop to peer back;
but I was off on their flank again, and kept well concealed.

I was in a quandary now as to what to do. It might be better for us to
let them escape, for then we would have only Thirkle and Buckrow to
fight, and a sack of gold mattered but little. Ye