the
men with me, didn't I? Pete, this is a pretty-serious thing. I didn't
care when they set the insurance company on me, but this is different.
If it goes beyond this stage I will carry the disgrace of jail and a
trial all my life. That devil has nearly finished me!"

Code's voice broke, and the tears of helpless rage smarted in his
eyes.

"Steady on, now!" counseled Pete, looking with pity at the young
skipper he worshiped. "He's done fer you true this time, but the end
of things is a tarnal long ways off yet, an' don't you go losin' yer
spunk!"

"But what have I ever done to him that he should start this against
me?" cried Schofield.

Pete could not answer.

"What do they do when a man is accused of murder?" asked Code.

"Why, arrest him, I guess."

Pete scratched his chin reminiscently. "There was that Bulwer case."
He recounted it in detail. "Yes," he went on, "they can't do nothin'
until the man accused is arrested.

"After that he gets a preliminary hearin', and, if things seem plain
enough, then the grand jury indicts him. After that he's tried by a
reg'lar jury. So the fust thing they've got to do is arrest you."

"Darn it, they sha'n't--I'll sail to Africa first!" snarled Code, his
eyes blazing. He strode up and down the deck.

"You say the word, skipper," rumbled Pete loyally, "an' we crack on
every stitch fer the north pole!"

Code smiled.

"Curse me if I don't like to see a man smile when he's in trouble,"
announced Pete roundly. "Skipper, you'll do. You're young, an' these
things come hard, but I cal'late we'll drop all this talk about
sailin' away to furrin parts.

"Now, there's jest two courses left fer you to sail. Either we go on
fishin' an' dodge the gunboat that brings the officer after you, or we
go on fishin' an' let him get you when he comes. I'll stand by you
either way. You've got yer mother to support, God bless her! An'
you've got a right to fill yer hold with fish so's she can live when
they're sold. That's one way of lookin' at it; the other's plain
sailin'!"

"No, Pete; this is too serious. I guess the mother'll have to suffer
this time, too. If they send a man after me I'll be here and I'll go
back and take my medicine. I'll make you skipper, and you can select
your mate. You'll get a skipper's share, and you can pay mother the
regular amount for hiring the _Lass_--"

"She'll get skipper's share if I have to lick every hand aboard!"
growled Ellinwood. "An' you can re