CHAPTER IIINICK FINDS A NEW FRIEND
“I should like to try one of the death sticks,” declared the priest persuasively. “Could you show me how to do it?”
This was a feeler that the detective knew meant mischief if the priest were able to follow it up. But there was no way of blocking the game just then. So Nick seemed to accept it with perfect good humor.
“This is a white man’s weapon,” he warned Calaman, as he held up the rifle for inspection. “You may try it. But sometimes it will hurt those who do not understand it.”
“I will take the risk,” was Calaman’s dogged response.
“Very well. Then you place a cartridge in the breech in this way,” explained Nick, as he illustrated with Jai Singh’s rifle, which he had taken from the tall Hindu’s hand.
While showing the priest how the cartridge w
