them away with us."

"How do you know that's what I came for, Abe?"

"I'm only saying I suspect it's your business. I know it's mine."

Captain Bergen was a little bewildered by the sharp manner in which
the good-natured mate caught him up, and, while he seemed to be
debating with himself what to say, Storms took his arm and led him a
short distance off, and, seating him on the beach, said:

"There's no hurry about the business, Jack, for we won't start until
to-morrow morning at daylight, so as to have as few nights on the
voyage as possible, and we had better decide on the proper course for
us to take."

"That is correct," replied the captain, assenting so quietly that his
friend hoped he would remain easily manageable.

"You remember, Jack, that when we buried the pearls there, we divided
them--your half is in a strong canvas bag, so packed that they won't
rub together, or make any noise; and mine are in another sack. The
single pearl which belongs to Inez is also carefully covered; and now
we must manage to get away with them, without letting Sanders know
they are in our possession."

"What do you want to do that for?" demanded the captain, turning
fiercely upon the mate. "I like that fellow. He's going to put me on a
ship and send me back to Boston; and any one who does that does me a
service worth more than all the pearls in the world. I am going to
give him all mine, and I hope Inez will do the same. I shall do my
best to persuade her, and if you don't, Abe, you and I are deadly
enemies, and I'll kill you the first chance!"

Storms showed his shrewdness by the manner in which he managed the
poor fellow.

"That's all right, Jack," he replied, assuming a look and expression
of anger, as he glared upon the lunatic, well aware that he must make
him afraid of him. "If it's any fun for you to talk in that style,
I'll let you do it once, but don't you try it again. Did I ever tell
you about those sixteen persons that I killed up in New Hampshire
before we started out with the _Coral?_"

"No!" gasped the captain, looking at him with awe.

"Well, I won't tell you now," said the mate, with the same frightful
earnestness, "for it would make you feel too bad. If they hadn't made
me mad, I wouldn't have killed them, and I'll let up on you if you do
not say anything of the kind again. If you do, I'll get mad, Jack."

"By the great horn spoon!" exclaimed the alarmed captain, "I'll let
the matter drop, if you will