n. You can have all o' that, by joinin' in, an' helpin'
me to bring round the rest. Do you know any o' them ye could speak to
'bout the bizness--wi' safety, I mean?"

"I do. Two or three. One sartin'; my ole chum, Bill Davis. He can be
trusted wi' a secret o' throat-cuttin', let alone a trifle such as you
speak o'. An' now, Master Blew, since you've seen fit to confide in me,
I'm goin' to gi'e ye a bit o' my confidince. It's but fair 'tween two
men as hev got to understan' one the tother. I may as well tell ye that
I know all about the stuff in the cabin-lockers--hev knowed it iver
since settin' fut in the _Condor's_ forc's'l. Me an' Bill war talkin'
o't jist afore I coomed to the wheel. You an't the only one as hez set
theer hearts on hevin' it. Them Spanish chaps hez got it all arranged
arready--an' had afore they shipped 'board this barque. Thar's the four
o' 'em, as I take it, all standin' in equal; while the rest o' the crew
war only to get so much o' a fixed sum."

"Striker, ye 'stonish me!"

"Well, I'm only tellin' ye what be true, an' what I knows to be so. I'm
gled you're agreeable to go in wi' us; the which 'll save trouble, an'
yer own life as well. For I may as well tell ye, Master Blew, that
they'd made up thar minds to send ye to the bottom o' the briny, 'long
wi' skipper an' the ole Spaniard, wi' the black throwed into the
bargain."

"That's a nice bit o' news to hear, by jingo! Well, Jack, I'm thankful
to ye for communicatin' it. Lord! it's lucky for me we've this night
chanced to get talkin' thegether."

"Thar may be luck in't all roun'. Bill an' me'd made up our minds to
stan' out for a equal divide o' the dust--like shares to ivery man.
Shud there be any dispute 'bout that bein' fair, wi' you on our side,
we'll eezy settle it our way, 'spite o' them Spanyards. If they refuse
to agree, an' it coomes to fightin', then Jack Striker's good for any
two on 'em."

"An' Harry Blew for any other two. No fear but we can fix that. How
many do you think will be with us?"

"Most all, I shud say, 'ceptin' the Spanyards themselves. It consarns
the rest same's it do us. At all events, we're bound to ha' the
majority."

"When do you propose we should begin broachin' it to them?"

"Straight away, if you say the word. I'll try some o' 'em soon as I've
goed off from heer. Thar be several on the watch as 'll be takin' a
drop o' grog thegether, 'fore we turns in. No better time nor now."