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"Si, señor," was the sardonic answer. "I will do that thing. And here is something that may be of interest to you. I happen to know that before we left Remate de Males a swift one-man canoe left Nazareth, and that the man in it was an Indian who is in the German's control. It went upstream while we were loading your supplies, and it has not returned.
This other river to yer left is the Tickywahoo " "Tecuahy," the blond man corrected, grinning. "Yeah. And behind ye is the last town in the world and the place that God forgot. What d'ye call this here, now, city?" "Remate de Males. Which means 'Culmination of Evils." "Yeah. It looks it. Wonder if it's anything like Hell's Kitchen, up in li'l' old N'Yawk."
From the time of the landing at Remate de Males, however, he narrated events more fully, giving complete details of Schwandorf's activities, Francisco's offense, and the final attack by the crew. While he talked the coronel's frown deepened. Also, José gradually assumed the expression of a thundercloud. And when the tale was done the puntero exploded. "Sangre de Cristo!" he yelled.
Let's get our stuff ready to ride." Less than two hours later their rooms were vacant, their duffle was stowed in the long dugout, the Peruvian crew stood arrogantly eying the Brazilians who had gathered to witness the departure, and the Americans were bidding good-by to Remate de Males in general and its German resident in particular. "Mr.
The other canoe slowed and waited. Its men watched the tall figure of McKay. Tim and Knowlton scanned the bronzed faces of those men and liked them at once. The paddlers evidently were Brazilians, but of a different type from the sluggish townsmen of Remate de Males alert, active-looking fellows, steady of eye, honest of face, muscular of arm in all, a more clean-cut set of men than the Peruvians.
On their way up the river the Americans had passed, at long intervals, a few small rubber estates, whose headquarters consisted mainly of a crude shack or two, hardly better than the dingy houses of Remate de Males. This place was more imposing.
On leaving Remate de Males the insect bars had been clean white; and though they had grown somewhat soiled from daily handling, they never had approached the drab dinginess of the barriers draping the hammocks of the Peruvian rivermen. In fact, their owners had been at some pains to keep them as clean as possible, folding them each morning with military precision and stowing them carefully.
"It is forgotten, Capitao. As the capitao says, we soldiers are sometimes overquick. I come to give you welcome to Remate de Males. My services are at your disposal." "We thank you. Why do you call me capitao?" "My eyes know a capitao when they see him." "But this is not a military expedition, my friend. Nor are any of us soldiers now though we all have been."
These guys are lucky, I'll say; they 'ain't got to buy their wives no fur coats or silk stockin's or nothin'. All the same, I got all I can do to hold me face straight when I see these li'l owl-eyes givin' us the glad look. I'd oughter stayed back in Remate de Males, where a feller can wink at a woman without gittin' all his pardners massacreed."
Knowlton trudged on through the glare of sunset to the river bank where Tim and the army of Remate de Males still loafed up and down, the admired of all beholders. "All right, Tim. We're moving to the hotel. No more war, I see." "Lord love ye, no," grinned Tim. "Me and this feller are gittin' on fine.