but Jack told him to let the man alone, and Romany got on his horse somehow
and rode off.

I saw Jim Bullock stoop and pick up something from the grass,
and heard him swear in surprise. There was some whispering,
and presently Jim said --

`If I thought that, I'd kill him.'

`What is it?' asked Jack.

Jim held up a butcher's knife. It was common for a man
to carry a butcher's knife in a sheath fastened to his belt.

`Why did you let your man fight with a butcher's knife in his belt?'
asked Jimmy Nowlett.

But the knife could easily have fallen out when Romany fell,
and we decided it that way.

`Any way,' said Jimmy Nowlett, `if he'd stuck Joe in hot blood before us all
it wouldn't be so bad as if he sneaked up and stuck him in the back
in the dark. But you'd best keep an eye over yer shoulder
for a year or two, Joe. That chap's got Eye-talian blood in him somewhere.
And now the best thing you chaps can do is to keep your mouth shut
and keep all this dark from the gals.'

Jack hurried me on ahead. He seemed to act queer, and when I glanced at him
I could have sworn that there was water in his eyes. I said that Jack
had no sentiment except for himself, but I forgot, and I'm sorry I said it.