"
"My ring all time," protested Maru. "That my pay fight mighty good for
you."
"Give it up to him," I advised. "He's only an overgrown child, and he
has set his mind on it."
"But, Verslun, I know she wouldn't do that!" protested the lover.
"Barbara sent me this as----"
"Oh, I know," I cried, "but we want fighters now, and Maru is a pretty
athletic person."
"Me damn good fighter!" cried the Raretongan. "Me plentee good fighter
if me get ring."
Holman gave up the trinket with a snort of disgust, and a few minutes
afterward, when we were tramping along, I made it my business to drop
back beside Maru and advise him to keep the ring out of the youngster's
sight till we had rescued Miss Barbara. If the native had displayed his
reward it was highly probable that the lovesick Holman, with nerves on
the raw edge from want of sleep and worry, would have pounced upon the
mighty Maru and endeavoured to obtain possession of what he fondly
thought was a token of affection from his beloved.
But the arrival of the messenger was worth more than the emerald ring to
us at that moment.
Pages:
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244