Garman, of course,
had learned that it was the girl of the Egret who had bidden Willy
Tiger guide the two to their destination. How greatly this had angered
Garman was apparent by the fashion in which he had visited
punishment--whatever it had been--on the inoffensive Seminole. What
was Garman to the girl?
"Poor Willy was the goat," said Higgins. "But go back a little: Garman
seems to me to be the big boss of this district. Is that the way you
figure it out?"
"Certainly."
"There's a whole lot of hard-boiled eggs round here, and they're scared
fightless about some one, and he's it. A man doesn't get that sort of
a grip without rough work, and he's not pleased with your proposition
here; and I don't see him changing his method much in dealing with you."
"Perhaps not. It's going to be hard for him to find an excuse though.
I'm here on a business proposition, as I say, and business is going to
be supreme on the job, and rough work a mere incident--if at all."
"Fair enough. What's your first move?"
"To find a way out of this country without troubling friend Garman."
"Sure. The dugout was the first answer. You let that go without
winking an eyelid. That means you'd already figured out a second
answer. What is it?"
Payne spread out his maps and consulted them carefully.
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