The dread in the captain's eyes was obviously genuine.
"Don't make us take you up there, mister," he repeated. "You wouldn't
if you knew."
"Knew what?"
"We can't bring any one up there."
"You aren't bringing any one; you're being brought."
"It'll be hard luck for you, too, mister, if you run up there."
Higgins shouldered angrily forward.
"Keep that kind of pap talk behind your teeth. Trouble with you
fellows is you've been used to handling suckers. You sort of get it
that we're different, don't you?"
"I'm telling you," persisted the captain; "'twon't be any luck for you
to run up there, and it'll be hell for us."
"Get up there and take that wheel!" roared Higgins. "Steer her right
and true to the end of the strip and you won't get into any trouble.
Try to ground her or any tricks, and you won't have to go 'up there' to
catch hell."
"Hold on, Hig." Payne had sensed the desperation rising in the four
men and he was averse to violence if it could be avoided. He was new
in that country and he expected to settle there and develop his land.
For a long time to come, until the contemplated railroad line came down
from the north to his property, he knew the Chokohatchee River must be
his means of communication with the outer world.
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