“Whar is the gurl?”

“Oh, I reckon she ain’t fur away; we kin find her all right.  I got ter know ’bout yer furst.  Are yer game?”

“I’m game ’nough, Jack,” assuming a familiarity I thought he would appreciate.  “Only I don’t want’r jump inter this yere thing without knowin’ nuthin’ ’bout it.  What is it yer got lined up fer me ter do?”

He helped himself to yet another liberal drink, and I was glad to note that the fiery liquor was already beginning to have its effect, increasing his recklessness of speech.

“All right, Dan; have another one on me—­no?  Wal’, hell; I ’spose I might as wal’ tell ye furst as last.  Thar ain’t nuthin’ fer eny o’ us ter git skeered about.  We got it all planned.  I sorter picked yer out ’cause thar ain’t noboddy knows yer in camp here—­see?  If yer disappear thar won’t noboddy give a damn.  An’ thar ain’t scarcely noboddy what knows the gurl is yere nether—­only maybe a few soldiers, who thinks she’s a nigger.  We don’t want this affair talked about none, do we?  I reckon not.  So we planned it out this way:  Thar’s a frien’ o’ mine got a shack down on Bear Crick, ’bout twenty mile below yere.  He sells red-eye ter barge an’ keel-boatmen, what tie up thar nights.  Wal’, he’s all right—­a hell o’ a good feller.  What we aim ter do is run the gurl down thar ternight, unbekno’nst ter enybody.  I reckon yer kin ride a hoss?”

“Yes; so thet’s my job?”

“Thet’s the whole o’ it.  Yer Just got ter stay thar with her till Kirby kin git away, without noboddy thinkin’ enything ’bout it.  It’s damn easy money ter my notion.”

I thought swiftly.  There were several questions I wanted to ask, but dare not.  It was better to trust to luck, for I must lull, not arouse suspicion.  Thus far the affair had played wonderfully into my hands; if I could maintain my part to the end, there ought to be no reason why the girl should not be saved uninjured.  The one thing which I had feared no longer threatened—­I was not to be brought face to face with Kirby.  If we encountered each other at all, it would be in darkness, where there was only slight probability of recognition.  The impatience in Kale’s face drove me to declare myself.

“Why, if thet’s all I got ter do fer a hundred dollars,” I said gaily, “I’m yer man, Jack.  An’ how soon will Kirby be comin’ down ter this yer place on Bear Crick?”

“In a day er two, I reckon.  Soon’s thar’s sum boat headin’ down river.  Yer see, this yer’s all camp; thar ain’t no fit place whar we kin hide the gurl, an’ make her keep her mouth shet.  Them blamed soldiers are a moosin’ ‘bout every whar, an’ if she onct got talkin’, our goose wud be cooked.  Furst thing we got ter do is git her outer this camp.”

“Ternight, yer sed?”

“’Bout midnight; yer’ll go’—­hey?”

“I reckon; yer got the money?”

With his eyes fastened on the two men eating, he counted out some gold pieces on the bar and shoved them over to me, keeping them under cover of his hand.