"I allow you're lookin' at this matter wrong," the thin man said in a conciliatory tone, as Harry and Walter ascended the companion-ladder. "We haven't said or done anything out of the way. How was we to know but they was the reg'lar cabin-boys, an' when they insulted us jes' 'cause we'd lost our vessel an' luck was agin us, we only did what you would."
As a matter of course, Bob was not absolutely certain but that there might be some truth in the man's statement, although from what he knew of Harry and Walter it did not seem probable; therefore he said, with less show of anger:
"We'll let the matter drop; but you must understand that the boys are to be treated as I am. The one who acts as cook has been to sea a little, and can stand harder work than the others, who were never on board a vessel before. Neither of 'em are to be bossed or scolded, for all do what they can willingly, an' I'm standin' right by 'em. Now that you've had somethin' to eat, an' ain't sufferin', what do you propose doin'?"
"You're short-handed, even if you had only the brig to look after; so what's to hinder our workin' a passage to sich port as you calculate on makin'?" and the red-nosed man spoke very humbly.
"We reckon on leavin' the tug here," Bob replied gravely. "She's aground, an' what's worse, bunged up so bad that three weeks wouldn't be any too long for repairs. 'Cordin' to my figgerin' the brig can be floated reasonably easy; an' with Joe Taylor aboard I can run her to the mainland pretty nigh as quick as if we had more of a crew."
"Do you mean that you don't care about takin' us along?" the slim man asked.
Bob hesitated an instant, hardly caring to say plainly that he had no desire for their company, and then he replied:
"It ain't wholly as I say. Considerin' what has been done, an' that the Sea Bird was disabled through the carelessness of one of my party, Joe has got as much interest here as I, an' he'd have to agree."
"Does he make any objection to helping us out of this hole if we're willing to do our full share of work?" the Mexican asked.
"I don't say he does, 'cause, you see, we haven't made any talk about sich a plan."
"Then find out jes' what he's willin' to do;" and the thin man spoke very earnestly. "We'll agree to obey orders like as if we'd signed articles, an' before the brig reaches the coast you'll be mighty glad of our help."
"Do you know what island this is?" Bob asked as if desiring to change the conversation.
"It's one of the Double-Breasted Keys," the thin man replied.
"On the Bahama Bank?"
"Yes; pretty nigh the northern point of the shoal."
"Then we're not more than three days' sail from Nassau?"
"About that; but you can't get in without a pilot, an' it ain't much further to some port in the United States."
To this Bob made no reply, but turned as if to leave the cabin when the Mexican stopped him by asking:
"Will you say whether we are to be given a passage, or must we go ashore to starve?"
"I'll talk the matter over with Joe. If he's agreed I won't say a word ag'in it, though I'd much rather take the brig in alone." And then Bob hurried up the companion-ladder, as if eager to escape from his guests.
When the three men were alone their entire bearing changed, and the one with a red nose said in a whisper, as he shook his fist threateningly in the direction Bob had vanished:
"We'll whine 'round only till the brig's afloat, an' then if we can't get away in her, leavin' that crowd behind, we deserve to stay!"
"And when we do have a craft of our own we'll pay off some old scores to that meddlin' fool who broke up our little game in Nassau!" the thin man added.
"It will be well if we do not show our hand too quickly," the Mexican said. "Without even so much as a revolver, we cannot hold possession in case they should decide to set us ashore."
"What a coward you are!" And he with the red nose spoke in a tone of contempt. "There are only two of them, for the boys don't count, an' marlin'-spikes or belayin'-pins comes as cheap to us as any one else. If we wanted to drive that crowd over the rail it wouldn't be very hard work, unless we two was the same chicken-hearted lubbers you are!"
The Mexican turned upon his heel as if the conversation was decidedly too personal; but he made no attempt to resent the insult, and the thin man said, in a soothing tone:
