It was one thing that she
should wish to avoid him, but why should he wish to avoid her?
The joy in her eyes died away when she found that the captain merely
required a translator. The restraint she imposed on herself made her
tongue trip. She had to ask Suarez to repeat his statement twice
before she was able to put it into English.
"He says that the Indians only kindle a fire on that point when they
want the signal to be seen from the sea," she explained at last. "They
used it once, to his knowledge, when some of them had gone to the
island out there to kill seals. He cannot guess what it portends
to-day, but he is quite sure that they have many more canoes at command
than those which you now see up the bay."
Courtenay could not fail to notice her agitation. His quick intent was
to soothe her.
"I am afraid my sending for you in such a hurry rather alarmed you.
Suarez strikes me as a person of nerves; he overrates the enemy, Miss
Maxwell. I think you know me well enough to believe that I would not
mislead you, and I am quite in earnest when I tell you that we shall
drive off these unfortunate wretches with comparative ease.
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