r between his
lips and giving Buckrow a searching glance.

"I don't like that place in there for the gold, Thirkle. It's too wet to
suit me."

"The dampness won't do any damage, Bucky. That's the best place on the
island, to my thinking; but, of course, if you don't like it we'll
consider it."

"The gold will rust in there," said Buckrow; and I knew he was in a
dangerous mood again.

"Gold don't rust, Bucky," called Petrak, standing in the crevice and
grinning at Thirkle.

"That's the best place on the island," said Thirkle soothingly. "This is
the ideal place. But if you don't like it in there, we won't put it in
there, and that's an end of it, Bucky."

"But it'll all rust up into great gobs if it's left any great while--I
don't like so much water drippin' over the place, Thirkle."

"Gold don't rust, Bucky," called Petrak, and he laughed immoderately and
slapped his knees with his hands.

"But what better place is there, Bucky? It's getting late now, lads, and
that's the best place for it."

"Then I vote to stow it and pipe down with the gabbin' with the writin'
chap," said Buckrow savagely. "It's time we got clear of here and took
to the boats by dark, Thirkle. I'm not for cruising over this blasted
island in the dark, and I don't fancy ye and the writin' chap gettin' so
thick all of a sudden. If there's to be talk, we want to know what it's
about, and I don't see no great gain in so much gossipin'."

"That's entirely my idea, Bucky. My vote is that we put it in the crack
there and slick up around here so nobody can know what's been afoot. But
I want a rest, and there are some things I want to say to Mr. Trenholm
here that will be of use to us. Clap on, lads, and I'll be there soon."

"That's my vote," assented Petrak, grinning at Thirkle. "No argument
there, Bucky."

"Then, lay on again, ye fool," growled Buckrow, turning to the sacks once
more. "Cuss ye, Reddy, yer goin' to side with Thirkle ag'in' me, I can
see that."

They picked up a sack and staggered into the canon with it, and Thirkle
grinned at me, and lit his cigar again.

"See that, Mr. Trenholm? If I had let Bucky rule then I would have been
as good as dead. I had another chap in my crew like that. After he saw
the way I worked the game he wanted to kill me and take command himself.
While he was making his plans to settle me the police got him for a
murder he didn't do, and I trumped up the evidence against him, but never
appeared at the