s a nasty smash ye give 'im, Bucky."

"Give it him, if ye mind, Reddy, but be polite to him. He was an officer
in the navy afore he turned pirate, Reddy."

"A navy officer? Thirkle a navy officer?" asked Petrak. "I was a navy man
myself when I was a boy."

He stepped to Thirkle and held the bottle to the prisoner's lips.

"Was ye an officer--a navy officer, Thirkle?" he asked, somewhat
awestricken at the idea.

"We had a little chat, Mr. Buckrow and myself, while you were away," said
Thirkle, after he had had his drink. "Real chummy we got."

"Ho, yes; real chummy, Thirkle! So chummy, Red, he was ready to let a
knife into me, and now he says he was in the navy; well up to his flag,
too, and the queen's commission, all nice and handy. He thinks he's too
nice to mix with the likes of us; he says as how we won't know how to
blow the loot ladylike and decent. Mind that, Reddy? Ho, ho, ho!"

"It's this way, Reddy," explained Thirkle. "Our old friend Bucky thought
I was jealous of him, and wanted it all to myself. But I never had such a
thought. Long Jim was the one I didn't like, and never did, but you and
Bucky are two after my own heart and--"

"He likes us, Reddy," interrupted Buckrow. "He likes us both, and you
best; but he likes us. Give him another drink and he'll cry for his
sins."

"Mr. Buckrow, I mean every word I say," declared Thirkle, and he meant
it, for the shrewd rascal was talking for his life. "There's gold
enough here for all of us, and we'll divide it now, and each take his
share and split it to the dollar. Leave it to me and I'll get it off for
you, safe and easy; but try to go it alone and the two of ye'll hang.
Hang! Understand that, Reddy? The two of you'll hang; and it's Thirkle
that says it, and Thirkle knows. But Thirkle can help ye if ye let him."

"Taffy he's givin' us now, Reddy," said Buckrow, seeing that Petrak was
being impressed by Thirkle's argument.

"Ye'll hang, the two of ye," said Thirkle. "Taffy, if ye like, Mr.
Buckrow."

"They'll have to take me first, and that's not so easy as ye make it,"
blustered Buckrow. "Don't mind him, Reddy."

"They'll get ye," said Thirkle, nodding his head. "They'll get ye the
minute ye land anywhere with a dozen of them gold pieces. Where'll ye go
with it? That's what I want to know. Where'll ye clear from? Tell me
that. No doubt ye'll land in Manila with a boat-load of gold and say yer
out of the _Kut Sang_, and she went down, and all were l