Page:Barbour--Lost island.djvu/375

 "I'm afraid it may come to that at the finish," said Tempest, grimly. "Personally, I have n't the least desire to have holes bored in me. A crazy sailor once put a bullet into my ribs, and it was a distinctly unpleasant experience. All the same, I don't see how anything can be done now but make an attack in force. Once I got hold of his firearms, I'd make him dance. Whether we ever get any treasure or not, I should just love to come out on top in this deal, wouldn't you?"

"We might make a surprise attack somehow. I expect one of them is always on the lookout for something of the sort, though."

"A surprise attack is what I have been thinking of for hours," Tempest said. "But it's a pretty difficult proposition, let me tell you. Jim, are you willing to take a bit of a risk? I 'll buy you anything in the wide world that you fancy, as soon as I can, if you 'll stand by me in this."

"What you do, Jim does," the Kanaka responded nonchalantly.