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Byrne, apparently unmoved by the seriousness of Theriere's condition, removed

the man's cartridge belt and buckled it about his own waist, replacing the six

empty shells in the revolver with six fresh ones. Presently he noticed the bound

and gagged Oda Iseka lying in the brush behind them where he and Theriere had

left him. The samurai were now sneaking cautiously toward their refuge. A

sudden inspiration came to the mucker.

Didn't I hear youse chewin' de rag wit de Chinks wen I hit de dump over dere?"

he asked of Barbara.

The girl, oddly, understood him. She nodded her head, affirmatively.

Youse savvy deyre lingo den, eh?"

A little."

Tell dis gazimbat to wise his pals to de fact dat I'll croak 'im, if dey don't beat it,

an' let us make our get-away. Theriere says as how he's kink when his ole man

croaks, an' his ole man was de guy youse put to sleep in de chicken coop,"

explained the mucker lucidly; "so dis slob's kink hisself now."

Barbara Harding was quick to see the strength of the man's suggestion. Stepping

to the edge of the clearing in full view of the advancing enemy, with the mucker at

her side, revolver in hand, she called to them in the language of their forbears to

listen to her message. Then she explained that they held the son of Oda Yorimoto

prisoner, and that his life would be the price of any further attack upon them.

The samurai conferred together for a moment, then one of them called out that

they did not believe her, that Oda Iseka, son of Oda Yorimoto, was safe in the

village.

Wait!" replied the girl. "We will show him to you," and turning to Byrne she asked

him to fetch the youth.

When the white man returned with the boy in his arms, a wail of mingled anguish

and rage rose from the natives.

"If you molest us no further we shall not harm him," cried Barbara, "and when we

leave your island we shall set him free; but renew your attack upon us and this

white man who holds him says that he will cut out his heart and feed it to the

fox," which was rather a bloodthirsty statement for so gentle a character as

Barbara Harding; but she knew enough of the superstitious fears of the ancient

Japanese to feel confident that this threat would have considerable weight with

the subjects of the young Lord of Yoka.

The Mucker