ost but you two
and the cargo of gold. And they'll let ye keep it and send ye on yer way,
with no questions asked."

"Ye mind what he says, Bucky?" Petrak was getting nervous.

"Mind what he says, if ye like," said Buckrow. "I'm man enough to get
away with it, Thirkle or no Thirkle."

"That sounds very big, Mr. Buckrow; but where will ye go? Easy enough it
would be if this island was off the track of ships, but the minute ye
make a westing ten miles with a boat-load of gold, or empty-handed, pop!
ye go into the hands of a coast-guard cutter or a ship. Fine time ye'll
have telling ye found it, or that ye got out of the ship by yerself. Back
to Manila ye'll go, and slam into Bilibid prison, and all about ye in the
papers, and all about the gold; and then ye'll be in a nice fix.

"Ye think, because it was secret cargo, the owners of the gold won't kick
up a row when the _Kut Sang_ is a minute overdue? Ye think they'll take
yer yarns when they find ye went in the _Kut Sang_, as the whole Sailors'
Home knows? They'll stretch a rope for ye and Petrak--if ye let Petrak
along--and the two of ye'll drop together into the deepest hole ever ye
clapped eyes on."

"Of course, Mr. Thirkle could pack a ton of gold about, and it would be
different, and not a word said," sneered Buckrow. "Perhaps ye know better
than me what to do--hey, Thirkle?"

"Thirkle has his plans made for the last of it as well as he had for the
first of it, and don't ye forget that, Mr. Buckrow, and never mind what
they are. You go on now and play the string out, and I wish the two of ye
luck; but remember that Thirkle said ye'd hang, and hang ye will. When
they put the rope on yer necks and the black caps over yer heads, just
remember Thirkle said it would come out that way. They'll make a nice job
of ye."

Petrak shivered and looked at Buckrow, who stood with arms folded,
staring at the ground.

"Oh, stow that gab, Thirkle!" he said. "Never ye fret about me and Reddy;
ye'll be dead, anyhow, and ye won't mind."

"Ye can thank Bucky for it," went on Thirkle, craftily turning his
conversation to Petrak, who was more easily influenced and had a hearty
dread of death or prisons.

"Thank Bucky when ye start up the thirteen steps. They'll be the hardest
thirteen steps ye ever took in yer life, Reddy--and the last. A man's in
a bad way when the shadow of the gallows falls across his bows and the
priest begins to pray. I looked for a better end for ye than t