o have recovered his
assurance, "Wiseman and Wishart were to be paid for casting away this
old schooner and its cargo. We're going to cast away the schooner right
enough; and I'll make it my private business to see that we get paid.
What were W. and W. to get? That's more'n I can tell. But W. and W. went
into this business themselves, they were on the crook. Now _we're_ on
the square, _we_ only stumbled into it; and that merchant has just got
to squeal, and I'm the man to see that he squeals good. No, _sir_!
there's some stuffing to this _Farallone_ racket after all."

"Go it, cap'!" cried Huish. "Yoicks! Forrard! 'Old 'ard! There's your
style for the money! Blow me if I don't prefer this to the hother."

"I do not understand," said Herrick. "I have to ask you to excuse me; I
do not understand."

"Well, now, see here, Herrick," said Davis. "I'm going to have a word
with you anyway upon a different matter, and it's good that Huish should
hear it too. We're done with this boozing business, and we ask your
pardon for it right here and now. We have to thank you for all you did
for us while we were making hogs of ourselves; you'll find me turn-to
all right in future; and as for the wine, which I grant we stole from
you, I'll take stock and see you paid for it. That's good enough, I
believe. But what I want to point out to you is this. The old game was a
risky game. The new game's as safe as running a Vienna bakery. We just
put this _Farallone_ before the wind, and run till we're well to looard
of our port of departure, and reasonably well up with some other place
where they have an American consul. Down goes the _Farallone_, and
good-bye to her! A day or so in the boat; the consul packs us home, at
Uncle Sam's expense, to 'Frisco; and if that merchant don't put the
dollars down, you come to me!"

"But I thought--" began Herrick; and then broke out: "O, let's get on to
Peru!"

"Well, if you're going to Peru for your health, I won't say no!"
replied the captain. "But for what other blame shadow of a reason you
should want to go there gets me clear. We don't want to go there with
this cargo; I don't know as old bottles is a lively article anywheres;
leastways, I'll go my bottom cent, it ain't Peru. It was always a doubt
if we could sell the schooner; I never rightly hoped to, and now I'm
sure she ain't worth a hill of beans; what's wrong with her I don't
know; I only know it's something, or she wouldn't be here with this