o' sale, so them two young women won't be left with nuthin' ter live
on. Let's make the fellers cough up furst, an' then, if we think best,
we kin hang 'em afterwards. It's my vote we let the leftenant tackle
the job--what do yer say?"

The rise and fall of voices, although punctuated by oaths, and
indistinct in expression, seemed generally to signify assent. The
faces of the men, as they pushed and crowded about us, remained angry
and resentful. Clearly enough prompt action alone would carry the day.

"Very well then, boys," I broke in sharply. "You agree to leave this
settlement with me. Then I'll go at it. Two or three of you pick up
the body, and carry it to Beaucaire's stateroom--forward there. The
rest of you better straighten up the cabin, while I go up and talk with
Thockmorton a moment. After that I may want a few of you to go along
when I hunt up Kirby. If he proves ugly we'll know how to handle him.
McAfee!"

"I'm over here."

"I was just going to say that you better stay here, and keep the
fellows all quiet in the cabin. We don't want our plan to leak out,
and it will be best to let Kirby and Carver think that everything is
all right; that nothing is going to be done."

I waited while several of them gently picked up the body, and bore it
forward into the shadows. Others busied themselves in straightening
the overturned furniture, and gathered into a small pile those few
scattered coins which had fallen to the deck, and been overlooked by
the two gamblers in their eagerness to escape. No one attempted to