erstand this punctilio: but--

"Well, captain," quoth he, "as you like; but no man shall say that you
asked for a volunteer, were it to jump down a shark's throat, but what
you had me first of all the crew."

After this sort of temper had been exhibited, three or four more came
forward--Yeo was very anxious to go, but Amyas forbade him.

"I'll volunteer, sir, without reward, for this or anything; though"
(added he in a lower tone) "I would to Heaven that the thought had never
entered your head."

"And so would I have volunteered," said Simon Evans, "if it were the
ship's quarrel, or the queen's; but being it's a private matter of the
captain's, and I've a wife and children at home, why, I take no shame to
myself for asking money for my life."

So the crew was made up; but ere they pushed off, Amyas called Cary
aside--

"If I perish, Will--"

"Don't talk of such things, dear old lad."

"I must. Then you are captain. Do nothing without Yeo and Drew. But if
they approve, go right north away for San Domingo and Cuba, and try the
ports; they can have no news of us there, and there is booty without
end. Tell my mother that I died like a gentleman; and mind--mind, dear
lad, to keep your temper with the men, let the poor fellows grumble as
they may. Mind but that, and fear God, and all will go well."

The tears were glistening in Cary's eyes as he pressed Amyas's hand, and
watched the two brothers down over the side upon their desperate errand.

They reached the pebble beach. There seemed no difficulty about finding
the path to the house--so bright was the moon, and so careful a survey
of the place had Frank taken. Leaving the men with the boat (Amyas had
taken care that they should be well armed), they started up the beach,
with their swords only. Frank assured Amyas that they would find a path
leading from the beach up to the house, and he was not mistaken. They
found it easily, for it was made of white shell sand; and following it,
struck into a "tunal," or belt of tall thorny cactuses. Through this
the path wound in zigzags up a steep rocky slope, and ended at a
wicket-gate. They tried it, and found it open.

"She may expect us," whispered Frank.

"Impossible!"

"Why not? She must have seen our ship; and if, as seems, the townsfolk
know who we are, how much more must she! Yes, doubt it not, she still
longs to hear news of her own land, and some secret sympathy will draw
her down towards the sea to-night. See