Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad
CHAPTER XXIV
PATSY'S NEW FRIEND
"I must say that I don't like the job," said Patsy, the next morning, as
she stood by the window and faced Beth and Kenneth. "Suppose we fail?"
"In the bright lexicon of youth--"
"Shut up, Ken. If we fail," said Beth, "we will be no worse off than
before."
"And if we win," added the boy, "they'll think twice before they try to
rob Americans again."
"Well, I'm with you, anyhow," declared Patricia. "I can see it's risky,
all right; but as you say, no great harm will be done if we slip up."
"You," announced Beth, gravely, "must be the captain."
"It isn't in me, dear. You figured the thing out, and Ken and I will
follow your lead."
"No," said Beth, decidedly; "I'm not quick enough, either in thought or
action, to be a leader, Patsy. And there's a bit of deception required
that I couldn't manage. That clever little thing, Tato, would know at
once I was up to some mischief; but she would never suspect you."
"I like that compliment," replied Patricia. "I may deserve it, of
course; but it strikes me Louise is the one best fitted for such work."
"We can't let Louise into this plot," said the boy, positively; "she'd
spoil it all."
"Don't be silly, Patsy," said Beth. "You're genuine and frank, and the
child likes you. I could see that yesterday. All you have to do is to be
nice to her and win her confidence; and then, when the climax comes, you
must be the spokesman and talk straight out from the shoulder. You can
do that all right."
"I'll bet on her," cried Kenneth, with an admiring look at the girl.
"Then," said Patsy, "it is all arranged, and I'm the captain. And is it
agreed that we won't lisp a word to Mr. Watson or Louise?"
"Not a word."
"Here," said Kenneth, drawing a revolver from his pocket, "is Uncle
John's pop-gun. It's the only one I could find in his room, so he must
have taken the other with him. Be careful of it, Patsy, for it's loaded
all 'round. Can you shoot?"
"No; but I suppose the pistol can. I know enough to pull the trigger.
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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