t whether we'll quit the sea an' go
into the chicken business, build a fast sea-goin' launch an'
smuggle Chinamen in from Mexico, buy a stern-wheel steamer an' do
bay an' river freightin', or just live at a swell hotel an'
scheme out a fortune by our wits. But whatever I do, as the
leadin' sperrit o' this syndicate, the motto o' the syndicate
will ever be my inspiration:

"All for one an' one for all--
United we stand, divided we fall."

"How about Neils?" queried Captain Scraggs. "Do we continue to
let that ex-deckhand in on our fortunes?"

"If Neils Halvorsen had asked _you_ that question when he come to
rescue you the day you lay a-dyin' o' thirst on that desert
island, wouldn't you have said yes?"

"Sure pop."

"Then don't ask no questions that's unworthy of you," said Mr.
Gibney severely. "I don't want to see none o' them green-pea
trade ethics croppin' up in you, Scraggsy. If it wasn't for that
Swede the sea-gulls'd be pickin' our bones now. Neils Halvorsen
is included in this syndicate for good."

"Amen." This from the honest McGuffey.

"Meetin's adjourned," said Captain Scraggs icily.

CHAPTER XXIX

Under the direction of the crafty commodore, the valuable cargo
of the _Maggie II_ was disposed of in Honolulu. During the period
while the schooner lay at the dock discharging Captain Scraggs
and McGuffey prudently remained in the cabin with the perfidious
mate, in order that, should an investigation be undertaken later
by the Treasury Department, no man might swear that the real
Phineas Scraggs, filibuster, had been in Honolulu on a certain
date. The Kanaka crew of the schooner Mr. Gibney managed to ship
with an old shipmaster friend bound for New Guinea, so their
testimony was out of the way for a while, at least.

When the _Maggie II_ was finally discharged and the proceeds of
her rich cargo nestled, in crisp bills of large denomination, in
a money belt under Mr. Gibney's armpits and next his rascally
skin, he purchased tickets under assumed names for himself,
Scraggs, McGuffey, and Halvorsen on the liner _Hilonian_, due to
sail at noon next day.

These details attended to, the _Maggie II_ backed away from the
dock under her own power and cast anchor off the quarantine
station. The mate was then brought on deck and made to confront
the syndicate.

"It appears, my man," the commodore began, "that you was too
anxious to horn in on the profits o' this expedition, so in a
moment