"Steal all the cattle and goats, and a woman or two, and set
fire to the huts in the outskirts," replied Stedman.

"Well, we must stop them," said Gordon, jumping up. "We must
take out a flag of truce and treat with them. They must be
kept off until I have my army in working order. It is most
inconvenient. If they had only waited two months, now, or six
weeks even, we could have done something; but now we must make
peace. Tell the King we are going out to fix things with
them, and tell him to keep off his warriors until he learns
whether we succeed or fail."

"But, Gordon!" gasped Stedman. "Albert! You don't
understand. Why, man, this isn't a street-fight or a cane-
rush. They'll stick you full of spears, dance on your body,
and eat you, maybe. A flag of truce!--you're talking
nonsense. What do they know of a flag of truce?"

"You're talking nonsense, too," said Albert, "and you're
talking to your superior officer. If you are not with me in
this, go back to your cable, and tell the man in Octavia that
it's a warm day, and that the sun is shining; but if you've
any spirit in you--and I think you have--run to the office and
get my Winchester rifles, and the two shotguns, and my
revolvers, and my uniform, and a lot of brass things for
presents, and run all the way there and back. And make time.
Play you're riding a bicycle at the Agricultural Fair."

Stedman did not hear this last, for he was already off and