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Updated: May 25, 2025
"If we go this ruffian will escape. And if we don't go " "Why, we," Hogvardt ended for me, "may not escape." I saw that Hogvardt's sense of responsibility was heavy; he always regarded himself as the shepherd, his employers as the sheep. I believe this attitude of his confirmed my destiny, for I said, without hesitation: "Oh, we'll chance that.
I got no answer; only a frightened look appealed to me in the white glare of Hogvardt's lantern. I came a step nearer, and leaned forward to ask my next question: "Who are you? What's your name?" "My name my name?" stammered the prisoner. "I won't tell my name." "You'll tell me nothing? You heard what I promised my friend?"
Watkins shuddered; Hogvardt looked rather uncomfortable; Denny and I listened eagerly. Again the groan came. I seized the lantern from Hogvardt's hand, and rushed in the direction of the sound. There, in the corner of the hall, on a couch, covered with a rug, lay an old man in an uneasy attitude, groaning now and then, and turning restlessly.
"I do not see," remarked old Hogvardt, laying a hand on my shoulders, "any harm in loading our revolvers, my lord." I did not see any harm in it either, and we all followed Hogvardt's advice, and also filled our pockets with cartridges. I was determined I think we were all determined not to be bullied by these islanders and their skull-and-crossbones ditty.
"I'll stay here to-night, anyhow, Watkins," said I. "I'm not going to be driven out of my own island by anybody!" And I brought my fist down with a crash on the table. And then, to our amazement, we heard from somewhere in the dark recesses of the hall, where the faint light of Hogvardt's lantern did not reach a low, but distinct, groan, as of some one in pain.
To tell the truth, I was wondering whether Neopalia was going to turn out as conservative a country as the Turkish ambassador had hinted. It was Watkins who suggested an answer. "Gad!" said Denny, "I hope it will be a pleasant interview." Hogvardt's broad, good-humored face had assumed an anxious look. He knew something about the people of these islands; so did I. "Trouble, is it?" I asked him.
Perhaps Hogvardt's assumption of responsibility relieved me; perhaps I was too full of anger against Constantine to think of the risks we ourselves ran; and I was more than half persuaded that the revelation of what he had done would rob him of his power to hurt us.
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