It am a long worm dat nebber turns, an' Ah'se done reckon dat Ah'se de
tu'ning worm to-night! Thumbs up, gemmen!"
Despite Sambo's bantering tone there could be no doubt that to fail to obey
him would be to invite a swift fusillade.
Reluctantly Tom Reade thrust his hands up skyward. Nor did Dick Prescott
hesitate to follow so prompt an example.
CHAPTER XXIV
CONCLUSION
"Now Ah reckon Ah'se done got yo'," laughed the big negro, insolently. "It
am a question ob w'ich one Ah wantah pick off fust!"
In his wicked joy over having both the young engineer and the army officer
wholly at his mercy Sambo, his mouth open and his massive teeth showing
white in his grin, advanced nearer.
Yet he did not fail to keep each of his enemies covered. He was watching
most alertly for any sign of rebellion on the part of his victims.
Nor was there any doubt in the mind of either young man that the black,
after playing with them, meant to dispose of them as his possession of
pistols indicated.
He would torment them first, then ruthlessly "shoot them up."
"How long are we to keep our hands up?" asked Tom banteringly.
It would be foolish to say that Reade was not afraid, but he was determined
to keep Ebony from discovering the fact.
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