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 isn't cemented down,' replied Tib. 'Whoa, Montezuma! Now hop up here on my knee. These bronze pieces will come to their senses in a second.'

"And when her lordship jumped up into his arms the wonder-stricken gang gave a howl and came out of their trance. We countermarched those rigs so that Tib had the lead in quitting the plaza, but not before one big buck, attired in a war-club and a workman-like spear, gave a grunt of disapproval and raised his trowel behind Tib's back. I had been expecting one of them to draw to that card, and while his arm was pulled back I pinked him from the hip, and it was night so far as he was concerned. But they didn't mind crowding into hell so long as they could regain the woman, and my shot took the bellicose out of only one of them. And as we swarmed up the rise they came yowling along behind us, disturbing the peace in a variety of ways. But just as Simon Legree fired three shots in quick succession a fringe of strained-faced tars popped over the crest in front, preceded by the busy end of their repeaters. Under cover of their wholesome diversion we gained the top and bounced down on the other side.

"Just as everything began to look cosey and home-like my pair of Jaspers decided they were afraid of the ocean, and hang me if they didn't turn about and caper back right in the face of the dancing