e else coming forward
to undertake the business, I agreed at last to this; that if the Doones,
upon fair challenge, would not endeavour to make amends by giving up
Mistress Margery, as well as the man who had slain the babe, then I
would lead the expedition, and do my best to subdue them. All our men
were content with this, being thoroughly well assured from experience,
that the haughty robbers would only shoot any man who durst approach
them with such proposal.

And then arose a difficult question--who was to take the risk of making
overtures so unpleasant? I waited for the rest to offer; and as none was
ready, the burden fell on me, and seemed to be of my own inviting. Hence
I undertook the task, sooner than reason about it; for to give the cause
of everything is worse than to go through with it.

It may have been three of the afternoon, when leaving my witnesses
behind (for they preferred the background) I appeared with our Lizzie's
white handkerchief upon a kidney-bean stick, at the entrance to the
robbers' dwelling. Scarce knowing what might come of it, I had taken the
wise precaution of fastening a Bible over my heart, and another across
my spinal column, in case of having to run away, with rude men shooting
after me. For my mother said that the Word of God would stop a two-inch
bullet, with three ounces of powder behind it. Now I took no weapons,
save those of the Spirit, for fear of being misunderstood. But I could
not bring myself to think that any of honourable birth would take
advantage of an unarmed man coming in guise of peace to them.

And this conclusion of mine held good, at least for a certain length of
time; inasmuch as two decent Doones appeared, and hearing of my purpose,
offered, without violence, to go and fetch the Captain; if I would stop
where I was, and not begin to spy about anything. To this, of course,
I agreed at once; for I wanted no more spying, because I had thorough
knowledge of all ins and outs already. Therefore, I stood waiting
steadily, with one hand in my pocket feeling a sample of corn for
market; and the other against the rock, while I wondered to see it so
brown already.

Those men came back in a little while, with a sharp short message that
Captain Carver would come out and speak to me by-and-by, when his pipe
was finished. Accordingly, I waited long, and we talked about the signs
of bloom for the coming apple season, and the rain that had fallen last
Wednesday night, and t