Page:Allan Dunn--Dead Man's Gold.djvu/112

98 caves I was talkin' to ye of. We might need 'em, case of trouble."

"What trouble?" asked Healy. "Indians?"

"Exactly. You saw their smoke yestiddy. Mister Stone an' me seen one givin' the camp the once-over this mornin' before breakfast. We didn't want to spile yore appetites so we said nothin' about it. But I expec' to see more of 'em afore the mornin's over. Nothin' like bein' prepared. We're afoot an' they're mounted. Some of 'em may have rifles. They hide 'em when they're on reservation, but they gen'ally manage to git hold of some with cartridges. They's allus some skunk to trade 'em to 'em. Now, a young 'Pache warrior, an' it's on'y the young bucks thet go off the reservation on the trail, would rather hev a scalp than anything in the world. Nex' to that comes a rifle an' then whisky. We ain't got no whisky to speak of but we got scalps an' rifles. If they come in close an' begin beggin' fur terbacky you kin giv' 'em some if you've a mind to, but let it stop thar. Don't git mad at 'em. Don't let 'em paw ye over or tech yore weapons, whatever happens. Smile at 'em an' keep firm. An' don't fire till it seems sart'in they're goin' to. One shot an' hell starts to poppin'. Better let me do the talkin', even if they spring any English. Keep close together. Me an' Larkin 'll go ahead, Stone an' Healy in the rear, with the burros in between."

There was a grim character to his instructions that left no doubt as to Harvey's belief that they might be needed. Stone did some serious thinking.