McGowan groaned and managed to stand. Baxter took the dart between thumb and forefinger, jerked it free; Jock yelled. Baxter slapped him again. “Don’t you faint on me,” he growled. ‘you’re lucky. Let it drain and you’ll be all right.” He turned to Rod. “You’re next.”
“Huh? There’s nothing the matter with me.”
“That stuff on your ribs is paint, I suppose.” He looked around. “Carmen, get my kit.”
“I brought it down.”
“Good. Rod, sit down and lean forward. This is going to hurt a little.”
It did hurt. Rod tried to chat to avoid showing that he minded it. “Carol,” he asked, “I don’t see how you and Jackie worked out a plan so fast. That was smooth.”
“Huh? We didn’t work out a plan; we both just did what we could and did it fast.” She turned to Jacqueline and gave her a clap on the shoulder that nearly knocked her over. “This kid is solid, Roddie, solid!”
Jacqueline recovered, looked pleased and tried not to show it. “Aw, Carol!”
“Anyway I thank you both.”
“A pleasure. I wish that pea shooter had been loaded. Rod, what are you going to do with them?”
“Well . . . ummph!”
“Whoops!” said Baxter, behind him. “I said it was going to hurt. I had better put one more clip in. I’d like to put a dressing on that, but we can’t, so you lay off heavy work for a while and sleep on your stomach.”
“Unh!” said Rod.
“That’s the last. You can get up now. Take it easy and give it a chance to scab.”
“I still think,” Caroline insisted, “that we ought to make them swim the creek. We could make bets on whether or not any of ’em make it across.”
“Carol, you’re uncivilized.”
“I never claimed to be civilized. But I know which end wags and which end bites.”
Rod ignored her and went to look at the prisoners. Roy Kilroy had caused them to lie down one on top of the other; it rendered them undignified and helpless. “Let them sit up.”
Kilroy and Grant Cowper had been guarding them. Cowper said, “You heard the Captain. Sit up.” They unsnarled and sat up, looking glum.
Rod looked at Jock McGowan. “What do you think we ought to do with you?”
McGowan said nothing. The puncture in his side was oozing blood and he was pale. Rod said slowly, “Some think we ought to chuck you in the stream. That’s the same as condemning you to death but if we are going to, we ought to shoot you or hang you. I don’t favor letting anybody be eaten alive. Should we hang you?”
Bruce McGowan blurted out, “We haven’t done anything.”
“No. But you sure tried. You aren’t safe to have around other people.”
Somebody called out, “Oh, let’s shoot them and get it over with!” Rod ignored it. Grant Cowper came close to Rod and said, “We ought to vote on this. They ought to have a trial.”
Rod shook his head. “No.” He went on to the prisoners,
I don’t favor punishing you this is personal. But we can’t risk having you around either.” He turned to Cowper. “Give them their knives.”
“Rod? You’re not going to fight them?”
“Of course not.” He turned back. “You can have your knives; we’re keeping your guns. When we turn you loose, head downstream and keep going. Keep going for at least a week. If you ever show your faces again, you won’t get a chance to explain. Understand me?’
Jock McGowan nodded. Dick Burke gulped and said, “But turning us out with just knives is the same as killing us.
“Nonsense! No guns. And remember, if you turn back this way, even to hunt, it’s once too many. There may be somebody trailing you with a gun.
“Loaded this time!” added Caroline. “Hey, Roddie, I want that job. Can I? Please?”
“Shut up, Carol. Roy, you and Grant start them on their way.”
As exiles and guards, plus sightseers, moved off they ran into Jimmy Throxton coming back into camp. He stopped and stared. “What’s the procession? Rod what have you done to your ribs, boy? Scratching yourself again?”