"As you have seen," he cried, "I can kill you when I wish and at
a distance. You cannot escape me. Your only hope of life lies
in obedience. Quick, or I kill!"
The Wieroos stopped and faced him. "What do you want of us?"
asked one.
"Throw aside your weapons," Bradley commanded. After a moment's
hesitation they obeyed.
"Now approach!" A great plan--the only plan--had suddenly come
to him like an inspiration.
The Wieroos came closer and halted at his command. Bradley turned
to the girl. "There is rope in the shelter," he said. "Fetch it!"
She did as he bid, and then he directed her to fasten one end of
a fifty-foot length to the ankle of one of the Wieroos and the
opposite end to the second. The creatures gave evidence of great
fear, but they dared not attempt to prevent the act.
"Now go out into the clearing," said Bradley, "and remember that
I am walking close behind and that I will shoot the nearer one
should either attempt to escape--that will hold the other until
I can kill him as well."
In the open he halted them. "The girl will get upon the back
of the one in front," announced the Englishman. "I will mount
the other. She carries a sharp blade, and I carry this weapon
that you know kills easily at a distance. If you disobey in
the slightest, the instructions that I am about to give you, you
shall both die. That we must die with you, will not deter us.
If you obey, I promise to set you free without harming you.
"You will carry us due west, depositing us upon the shore of the
mainland--that is all. It is the price of your lives. Do you agree?"
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