a sort o' way out of it--
the only one appearin' possible. 'Twar this: to purtend joinin' in wi'
the conspirators, an' put myself at thar head. I'd larnt from the talk
o' the two Sydney Ducks there war a split 'mong them, 'bout the dividin'
o' the gold-dust. I seed this would gi'e me a chance to slip in along
wi' them. So takin' advantage o' it, I broached the bizness to Striker
that same night, and got into his confidence, an' theer councils;
arterwards obtaining the influence I wanted.

"Mind, gentlemen, it took a smart show o' trickery and maneuvrin'.
'Mong other things, I had to appear cool to the cabin people throughout
all the voyage--specially them two sweet creeturs. Many's the time my
heart ached thinkin' o' yourself, Mr Crozier, as also Master Willie--
an' then o' your sweethearts, an' what might happen, if I should fail in
my plan for protectin' 'em. When they wanted to be free and friendly,
an' once began talkin' to me, I hed to answer 'em gruff an' growlin',
knowin' that eyes war on me all the while, an' ears listenin'. As to
tellin' them what was before, or givin' them the slimmest hint o' it,
that would 'a spoilt my plans, an' ruined everything. They'd a gone
straight to the old gentleman, an' then it would 'a been all up wi' us.
'Twar clear to me they all couldn't be saved, an' that Don Gregorio
himself would hev to be sacrificed, as well as the skipper an' cook. I
thought that dreadful hard; but thar war no help for't, as I'd have
enough on my hands in takin' care o' the women, without thinkin' o' the
men. As the Lord has allowed, an' thank Him for it, all ha'e been
saved!"

The speaker pauses, in the fervour of his gratitude; which his
listeners, respecting, in silence wait for him to continue the
narration. He does so:

"At last, on sightin' land, as agreed on, the day had come for the doin'
of the dark deed. It war after night when they set about it, myself
actin' as a sort o' recognised leader. I'd played my part, so's to get
control o' the rest. We first lowered a boat, putting our things into
her. Then we separated, some to get out the gold-dust, others to seize
the saynoreetas. I let Gomez look after them, for fear of bringing on
trouble too soon. Me an' Davis--who chances to be a sort o' Jack
carpenter--were to do the scuttlin'; an', for that purpose, went down
into the hold. There I proposed to him to give the doomed ones a chance
for their lives, by lettin' the barque floa