y:

"Seems to me I remember your saying something of the sort the first day
you ever laid eyes on A. A., Abel."

"The trouble is," put in Soapy Shay sarcastically, "you don't know a
dishonest one when you see him, Bill."

"Veil, let's get down to business," said Moses Block nervously. "Ve
must go slow and careful-like. If we show our hands too soon, they will
uprise and--veil, I don't know vat!"

"Mr. Mott, what would you do if you got wind of a plot like this aboard
ship?" inquired Percival, his eyes narrowing.

"I would have the whole gang in chains before morning. Then I'd give
'em a taste of the 'cat' at daybreak, and before noon I'd have the
ringleaders hanging from a yard-arm," said Andrew Mott, succinctly.

"Oh, my gracious!" gulped Mr. Block.

"Now, I'll tell you what would happen up in Copperhead Camp," said
Percival, darkly. "They would get a beautiful cow-hiding and then
sentenced to wear a ball and chain, day and night, for anywhere from six
months to two years,--depending largely on the process of regeneration.
My experience has been that six months is enough."

"We wouldn't dare do that, A. A.," said Fitts. "You must not forget
public sentiment,--and public pity. I've got a better plan. How far out
is that little island off New Gibraltar, Platt?"

"A quarter of a mile, I should say."

"Well, if they're not satisfied with life and conditions here, let's
make 'em a present of a nice little island of their own. That's what
I've always advocated as the proper way to treat anarchists. Stick 'em
away on an island completely surrounded by sharks and let 'em run it to
suit themselves."

"But there are no sharks in these waters," said Flattner. "They'd swim
over here some night and slit all our throats."

"Not a chance. They hate water too much to have ever learned how to
swim. Now, here's the scheme. Round up as many of them as we're dead
sure about, row 'em out to the island, dump 'em with enough food and
water to last a week, supply them with tents and beds and tools, and let
'em build their own penitentiary. They'll have to do it or freeze next
winter. Once a week send food and drink out to them. The water is a
hundred fathoms deep between Trigger Island and that little green wart
out there on the face of the ocean. It will look like a million miles to
them. How does it strike you, gentlemen?"

Off the precipitous western extremity of Trigger Island lies a tiny
scrap of tree-covered land. It is