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In delivering this note, with directions as to the method of finding the man, Thlucco had said: "Injun no fool. Injun know m'latter man. M'latter man tell Sam heap. Sam take m'latter man way." By diligent questioning, Sam had made out that this man had knowledge of affairs in the British camp which he was willing to sell for some service that Sam could do him. Sam was not sure of Thlucco.
Sam was interested now, but it was not easy to draw anything like detailed information out of Thlucco. "What makes you think that, Thlucco? What have you seen or heard?" "Um. Injun see. Injun know. Injun no fool. Jake cuss Sam. Jake cuss Jackson. Injun hear." "When did you hear him curse me or General Jackson, Thlucco?" asked Sam. "Um. To-day! 'Nother day, too! 'Nother day 'fore that."
"What did he say?" "Um. Jake cuss. Um. Jake gone." "What!" exclaimed Sam. "Gone! where?" "Um. Injun don't know. Injun know Jake gone." "When did he leave camp?" "Um. When Sam go 'way Jake go too! Injun follow Jake. Jake cuss Injun. Injun come back." "Is that all you know, Thlucco?" "Um. That's all. That's 'nough. Jake gone 'way." Sam jumped out of the boat and waked the boys.
He had no knowledge whatever of the man, except that Thlucco had somehow found him and arranged a meeting. Thlucco had brought Sam a scrap of dirty paper, on which were traced in a scarcely legible scrawl, these words: "Your man must say, 'It's a dark night! I'll say, 'Is it dark. We will know each other then."
"Injun know. Injun no fool. Injun want Sam." "What do you want with Sam?" "Sam git caught! Injun no fool. Injun see." "What do you mean, Thlucco? Speak out. If there is any danger, I want to know it." "Ugh! Injun know Jake Elliott!" "What about Jake?" asked Sam. "Um, Jake Elliott devil. Jake hate Sam. Jake hate General Jackson. Injun no fool. Injun see."
Warning the boys, therefore, not to reveal the secret, he admitted the Indian, whose name was Thlucco, to his company, not as a member, but as a sort of guide. The next morning the boat went down the bay to the town, where Sam stopped to purchase certain necessary supplies, chiefly fishing tackle and the materials for making a sail, and to take observations.
If ill should befall the boys it would be an unavoidable ill, incurred in the discharge of duty, and he would have no reason, he thought, to reproach himself. Just as he reached this conclusion, Thlucco came from somewhere out of the darkness, and stepping into the boat took a seat just in front of Sam, facing him. "Why, Thlucco," exclaimed Sam, "where did you come from?" "Sh sh ," said Thlucco.
At daylight Bob was off, and when the boys awoke they were full of curiosity to know the meaning of his absence. While Thlucco was around Sam would tell them nothing except that he had sent Bob away on an errand. When Thlucco went to the boat to arrange something about the fishing tackle, Sam briefly explained the matter, and cautioned the boys to talk of it no more.
By the end of the week Sam had an armory of ten new rifles, with a store of ammunition for each. Thlucco could not count very well, and it required a good deal of persuasion on Sam's part to induce him to stop enlisting. He was persuaded at last, however, that there were more than enough guns in camp to arm the whole party, and then he consented to remain away from the town.
Injun git um. Injun 'list agin. Big-hat-red-coat-white man give Injun 'nother gun. Injun 'list six, seven times, git guns for boys." "But we don't want any guns, Thlucco." "Um. Injun no fool. Sam Jackson man. Injun know. Sam Jackson man. Boys Jackson men. Sam find out things, boys go tell Jackson. Bob go first. Um. Injun no fool. Injun Jackson man. Injun git guns, heap."
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