A parley.

           Iturnedagainandwentondowntowardsthesea.Ifoundthehotstreambroadenedouttoashallow,weedysand,inwhichanabundanceofcrabsandlong-bodied,many-leggedcreaturesstartedfrommyfootfall.Iwalkedtotheveryedgeofthesaltwater,andthenIfeltIwassafe.Iturnedandstared,armsakimbo,atthethickgreenbehindme,intowhichthesteamyravinecutlikeasmokinggash.But,asIsay,Iwastoofullofexcitementand(atruesaying,thoughthosewhohaveneverknowndangermaydoubtit)toodesperatetodie.

           Thenitcameintomyheadthattherewasonechancebeforemeyet.WhileMoreauandMontgomeryandtheirbestialrabblechasedmethroughtheisland,mightInotgoroundthebeachuntilIcametotheirenclosure,—makeaflankmarchuponthem,infact,andthenwitharockluggedoutoftheirloosely-builtwall,perhaps,smashinthelockofthesmallerdoorandseewhatIcouldfind(knife,pistol,orwhatnot)tofightthemwithwhentheyreturned?Itwasatanyratesomethingtotry.

           SoIturnedtothewestwardandwalkedalongbythewater’sedge.Thesettingsunflashedhisblindingheatintomyeyes.TheslightPacifictidewasrunninginwithagentleripple.Presentlytheshorefellawaysouthward,andthesuncamerounduponmyrighthand.Thensuddenly,farinfrontofme,Isawfirstoneandthenseveralfiguresemergingfromthebushes,—Moreau,withhisgreystaghound,thenMontgomery,andtwoothers.AtthatIstopped.