nt.

"How?" he demanded again in his sharp way.

Bull laughed.

"Here," he cried, holding out the letters he had found. "I best pass you
these. That's from Peterman. There's not much written, but a deal lies
under the writing. You'll see he asks permission for a representative of
the Skandinavia to wait on us. I wirelessed back, 'I'd just love to
death meeting him.' By the same mail came Father Adam's yarn. An' I
guess that's where the soup thickens. He says some woman's coming along
from the Skandinavia folk. He guesses they're going to put up some
proposition that looks like butting in on the plans laid out for
Sachigo. But that don't seem to worry him a thing. I guess his letter
wasn't written to hand us warning. He seems concerned for the woman.
You'll see. He asks me to treat her gently. Firmly, yes. But also,
'very, very gently.' He says, 'you see, she's a woman'."

Bull waited while the other perused both letters. Then, as Bat looked up
questioningly, he went on:

"That telegram got here half an hour back," he said. Then he shrugged.
"The woman's on the _Myra_, and the vessel's been sighted off the
headland. She'll be along in two hours."

"And what're you doin' about it?"

Bat's eyes were searching. Perhaps Father Adam's letter had told him
something it had failed to tell the other.

"I'll see her right away," Bull laughed. "If she feels like stopping
around and getting a sight of the things we're doin' she's welcome. She
can put up at the visitor's house. It 'ud do me good for her to pass the
news on to the folk she comes from."

But Bat's manner had none of the light confidence of the other. Bitter
hatred of the Skandinavia was deeply ingrained in him. He shook his
head.

"Keep 'em guessin'," he said. "It'll worry 'em--that way."

Then he passed the letters back, and dropped into the chair that was
always his.

"But this woman," he went on, in obvious puzzlement. "It's--it's kind of
new, I guess. Then there's Father Adam's message. That don't hand us
much."

Bull's lightness passed.

"No," he said, "that message is queer. He knows about it. Yet he hasn't
given her name or said a thing. Say--I like that phrase though. What is
it? He says, 'treat her very, very gently--you see, she's a woman.'
That's Father Adam right thro'--sure. But--well it's a pity he don't say
more."

Bat nodded.

"You'll go along down an' meet her?"

"No." Bull shook his head decidedly. "You will."

Bat's eyes twi