the gold. "I never give him
the chance, Thirkle. Now if it was some--say Buckrow or Long Jim, they
might give him a gun, but not Petrak. Ye know I ain't the kind to turn on
a pal, Thirkle, and I say you stick to me and I'll stick to you, come
what do. Ain't that right, Thirkle?"

"Reddy, yer true blue," and he took Petrak's hand and shook it
vigorously, and patted the little rat on the back. "Stick to Thirkle and
Thirkle will stick to you like a Dutch uncle, and never mind what Mr.
Trenholm has to say. He's not in this, or won't be long, and it won't be
many days before we are counting out the gold between us.

"I've got enough five-pound notes here to buy the little yacht, and I'll
take some of the gold, but not much. We'll be back here before the month
is out, all slick and snug, and then away for London."

"I'll stick like paint, Thirkle; lay to that," said Petrak, grinning at
me. "I knew he was on the wrong course when he come that gun talk to me,
and I told him Thirkle was all right, and that I knowed ye better than
him, and so I do--hey, Thirkle?"

"You had better give me your pistols until you are done, Reddy. Ye can't
trust these gentlemen who write--they have too much imagination, and
they are too foxy for men like you and me, Reddy. There's no telling what
he might do in there if you have guns and knives on ye. Pass 'em over,
Reddy, or he'll do for us yet."

Petrak gave up his weapons joyfully, not realizing that he was being
disarmed for the very purpose I had warned him about--Thirkle was getting
ready to finish his job in earnest.

"Now get along and dump the last of it in there, and move navy style or
we'll be here at dark. No more soldiering, Petrak: and see that ye keep
yer jaw battened down, Mr. Trenholm, or I'll take a hand in this that ye
won't relish and attend to ye in a way ye won't fancy."

"Ye'll play fair with me, won't ye, Thirkle?" asked Petrak.

"Fair as ye deserve. Move along with that cargo."

Petrak began to whine to himself, and I said nothing more until we went
in with the last sack.

"You fool, he'll kill you as I told you he would, but you are too late
now."

"Oh, Thirkle's all right," he grumbled; but he seemed worried since he
had given up the pistols, and he saw plainly enough that Thirkle's manner
had changed in no undecided way since Petrak had surrendered his weapons.

"All clear," said Thirkle, as we came out. He was measuring rope, and had
his jacket on and a bund