otruding from his
waistband. The rowers behind him, though of varying degrees of
swarthiness and height, all had the same sinewy build, the same bold
stare, the same devil-may-care insolence of manner; and though none but
the lookout wore the piratical red around his brow, more than one knife
hilt showed at their waists. The steersman, whose copper-brown skin and
flat face betokened a heavy strain of Indian blood, gazed stolidly at
the Americans with the unwinking, expressionless eyes of a snake. Back
into the minds of McKay and Knowlton came Schwandorf's words, "Men not
afraid of hell or high water." They looked it.

"Here they are," announced the German, stepping ashore deliberately.
"Jose, the _puntero_"--his hand indicated the lookout--"Francisco, the
_popero_"--pointing to the steersman--"and six _bogas_. Good men."

McKay ran a cold eye along the line of faces, his gaze plumbing each.
Under that chill scrutiny the third man's stare wavered and dropped.
That of the next also veered aside. The rest fronted him eye to eye.

"Two of them will not do," he asserted, in the brusque tone of a captain
inspecting his company. "Numbers Three and Four--fall out!"

Literal obedience would have put Three and Four into the river,
wherefore they stood fast. But, though they did not quite understand the
meaning of the words, they grasped the fact that they were not wanted.
One laughed impudently, the other slid a poisonous glance at the
bleak-faced officer. The squat Francisco scowled. So did Schwandorf.

"No man who cannot look me in the eye is needed on this trip," McKay
declared. "Also, six men are enough. If necessary we will bear a hand at
the paddles ourselves. Jose, you have been told by Senhor Schwandorf
what we want?"

"_Si._"

"You can start at once?"

"_Si._"

"What pay?"

"We leave that to you."

"Um! A dollar a day for each man?"

"Money or goods?"

"American gold."

"_Si. Bueno._"

"Very well. Take those two men back to Nazareth, get what belongings you
need, return here, and report to me at the hotel. I am captain.
Understand?"

"_Si_--Capitan."

"All right. On your way!"

As the boat drew out the two rejected men bade the Americans an ironical
"_adios_," and one spat in the stream. In the faces of the others,
however, showed something like respect for the crisp-spoken captain, and
Jose snarled something at the ill-mannered Three and Four.

"You might need those men," mumbled Schwandorf.