"
"Alas! oh, wise-one," I answered. "How much better to have brought the
ship also! On board of her, it is true, we possess weapons against
which even such a monster as you tell me of could not prevail. But
these weapons I have not with me. How then can I, single-handed, hope
to overcome so terrible a creature as you describe? Rather send me back
to my ship, when I promise to bring her here, so that a party of us,
well armed, may attack the demon, when no doubt we shall be able to
destroy it." But at this the wise-one shook his head.
"To bring the ship here," said he, "would be easy. But how do we know
we could be rid of her without injury to our people?"
"I would pass you my word as to that," I answered.
"So you say now," replied the wise-one. "But how shall we know that you
would keep your word?"
An angry retort sprang to my lips, but I restrained myself on receiving
a warning glance from Sylvia, which reminded me that I stood at the
mercy of these monkey men.
"Give me three days, then," I answered, "to devise some means for
destroying the monster. If I succeed, I demand to be sent back to my
ship. Without this promise I will do nothing for you, let the
consequences to me be what they may.
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