Part 15 (2/2)
”I wonder how far behind Sanders and Wison are,” he remarked to Byrne after they had been on the trail for the better part of an hour ”Hadn't we better wait for them to catch up with us? Four can do a whole lot more than two”
”Not wen Billy Byrne's one of de two,” replied thethe trail
Another half-hour brought thee, and Billy Byrne was for dashi+ng straight into the center of it and ”cleaning it up,” as he put it, but Theriere put his foot down firmly on that proposition, and finally Byrne saw that the other was right
”The trail leads straight toward that place,” said Theriere, ”so I suppose here is where they brought her, but which of the huts she's in noe ought to try to detere! Nohat do you think of that?”
”Tink o' wot?” asked the mucker ”Wot's eatin' yeh?”
”See those three e, Byrne?” asked the Frenchinal headhunters than I a with our trailing, for it's as certain as fate itself that japs are not head-hunters”
”There ain't been nothin' fony about our trailin', bo,” insisted Byrne, ”an' whether japs are bean collectors or not here's where de ginks dat copped de doll hiked fer, an if dey ain't dere now it's because dey went t'rough an' out de odder side, see”
”Hush, Byrne,” whispered Theriere ”Drop down behind this bush Soht of us,” and as he spoke he dragged the mucker down beside him
For a moment they crouched, breathless and expectant, and then the slie close beside and entered the trail toward the village Upon his head he bore a bundle of firewood
When he was directly opposite the watchers Theriere sprang suddenly upon hi hand over the boy's mouth In japanese he whispered a command for silence
”We shall not harm you if you keep still,” he said, ”and answer our questions truthfully What village is that?”
”It is the chief city of Oda Yorimoto, Lord of Yoka,” replied the youth
”I ae hut in the center of the village street is the palace of Oda Yoriuessed Theriere shrewdly
”It is”
The Frenchuessed also that if the white girl were still alive in the village she would be in no other hut than that of the most powerful chief; but he wished to verify his deductions if possible He knew that a direct question as to the whereabouts of the girl would call forth either a clever oriental evasion or an equally clever oriental lie
”Does Oda Yoriht to his house last night?” asked Theriere
”How should the son know the intentions of his father?” replied the boy
”Is she still alive?” continued Theriere
”How should I knoas asleep when she was brought, and only heard the woht hoht before”
”Could you not see her with your own eyes?” asked Theriere
”My eyes cannot pass through the door of the little rooather firewood a half hour since,”
retorted the youth