Part 8 (1/2)
Down to the landing place trudged the three Americans, and there the employers and the prospective ehtthey were
The bowman, hawk nosed, slant eyed, blackunder his unbuttoned cotton shi+rt, had the face and bearing of a buccaneer chieftain; and the effect was intensified by a flaring red handkerchief around his head and the haft of a knife protruding frorees of swarthiness and height, all had the same sinewy build, the same bold stare, the sah none but the lookout wore the piratical red around his brow, more than one knife hilt showed at their waists The steersman, whose copper-brown skin and flat face betokened a heavy strain of Indian blood, gazed stolidly at the A, expressionless eyes of a snake Back into the minds of McKay and Knowlton cah water” They looked it
”Here they are,” announced the Ger ashore deliberately
”Jose, the _puntero_”--his hand indicated the lookout--”Francisco, the _popero_”--pointing to the steersas_ Goodthe line of faces, his gaze plu each
Under that chill scrutiny the third man's stare wavered and dropped
That of the next also veered aside The rest fronted him eye to eye
”Two of them will not do,” he asserted, in the brusque tone of a captain inspecting his company ”Numbers Three and Four--fall out!”
Literal obedience would have put Three and Four into the river, wherefore they stood fast But, though they did not quite understand the rasped the fact that they were not wanted
One laughed ilance at the bleak-faced officer The squat Francisco scowled So did Schwandorf
”No man who cannot look me in the eye is needed on this trip,” McKay declared ”Also, six h If necessary ill bear a hand at the paddles ourselves Jose, you have been told by Senhor Schwandorf ant?”
”_Si_”
”You can start at once?”
”_Si_”
”What pay?”
”We leave that to you”
”Uoods?”
”Aold”
”_Si Bueno_”
”Very well Take those two s you need, return here, and report to me at the hotel I am captain
Understand?”
”_Si_--Capitan”
”All right On your way!”