way."

Here I took his hard, muscular hand and held it for a moment. He smiled
sourly again, but said no more about our fight.

"Ye see," he went on, after a moment's pause, "I'm second in command
here now, and I'll show you no such treatment like what I got aboard the
_Pirate_. This gun I has here is only to let a man see his limit afore
it's too late. If I didn't show it, he might go too far, and then--well,
I reckon ye know just what might happen, being as Trunnell has told you
what a gentle, soft-hearted fellow I am. He's a rum little dog, that
fuzzy-headed fellow, Trunnell. Did ye ever see sech arms in anything but
an ape? 'Ell an' blazes, he could squeeze a man worse than a Coney
Island maiden gal. Speakin' of maidens, jest let me hint a minute in
regard to the one aboard here. She's a daisy. An out an' out daisy. An'
if there's a-goin' to be any love-makin' going on around, I'll do it.
Yes, sir, don't take any of my duties upon yourself. I'll do it. I'll do
it. Jest remind yourself of that, Mr. Rolling, an' we'll get along fust
rate. The old man don't know me yet, but Mr. Bell here--well, Mr. Bell
knows a thing or two concernin' captains which'll be worth a heap of
gold to some people."

The third mate looked at me with his boyish eyes for an instant, and his
ruddy cheeks seemed to blush. Then he said softly:--

"What he means is, that you and the rest are only passengers, now. All
the men from the _Pirate_, you know. There'll be some salvage for the
four who elected to stay aboard this vessel, and if you understand it in
this light, you, Chips, Jim, and the rest are welcome as passengers. If
you don't, the boat is at your disposal any time."

"I see," I said. "You are also of the party elected to stay with Captain
Sackett and draw salvage?"

"That's about the size of it."

I went on deck, and Chips, Jim, and the men went below to get something
to eat. Sackett was standing at the break of the poop as I came up, and
his daughter stood beside him. They were evidently in earnest
conversation over the scene below, for as I drew near, Miss Sackett
turned to me and said with some show of contempt in her voice:--

"Your captain was very kind to send us your volunteer, and we appreciate
it, Mr. Rolling. Perhaps the reason he had no more men offer their
services for a dangerous mission was because he was short of irons."

"If you mean that American sailors have to be ironed into danger, you are
mistaken," I answ