"Now, Jack," he said, "get up there and tell these people that
we are going out to make peace with these Hillmen, or bring
them back prisoners of war. Tell them we are the preservers
of their homes and wives and children; and you, Bradley, take
these presents, and young Bradley, keep close to me, and carry
this rifle."
Stedman's speech was hot and wild enough to suit a critical
and feverish audience before a barricade in Paris. And when
he was through, Gordon and Bradley punctuated his oration by
firing off the two Winchester rifles in the air, at which the
people jumped and fell on their knees, and prayed to their
several gods. The fighting men of the village followed the
four white men to the outskirts, and took up their stand there
as Stedman told them to do, and the four walked on over the
roughly hewn road, to meet the enemy.
Gordon walked with Bradley, Jr., in advance. Stedman and old
Tom Bradley followed close behind, with the two shot-guns, and
the presents in a basket.
"Are these Hillmen used to guns?" asked Gordon. Stedman said
no, they were not.
"This shot-gun of mine is the only one on the island," he
explained, "and we never came near enough them before to do
anything with it.
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