tell ye all about it, and prevent
his escape, if you'll only promise, on yer word as a gin'lmun, that ye
won't tell nobody else, but six niggers, who are more than enough to
sarve your turn."

"Prevent whose escape?" said Thorwald with an excited look.

"Gascoyne's."

Ole jumped off his stool and hit his left palm a sounding blow with his
right fist.

"I knew it!" he exclaimed, staring into the face of the seaman. "I was
sure of it! I said it! But how d'ye know, my man?"

"Ah! I'll not say another word if ye don't promise to let me go free,
and only take six niggers with ye."

"Well, Bumpus, I do promise, on the word of a true Norseman, which is
much better than that of a gentleman, that no harm shall come to you if
you tell me all you know of this matter. But I will promise nothing
more; because if you won't tell me, you have told me enough to enable me
to take such measures as will prevent Gascoyne from escaping."

"No, ye can't prevent it," said Bumpus, with an air of indifference.
"If ye don't choose to come to my way o' thinkin', ye can take yer own
coorse. But, let me tell you, there's more people on the island that
will take Gascoyne's part than ye think of. There's the whole crew of
the _Talisman_, whose cap'n he saved, and a lot besides; an' if ye do
come to a fight about it, ye'll have a pretty tough scrimmage. Ther'll
be blood spilt, Mr Thorwald, an' it was partly to prevent that as I
comed here for. But you know best. You better take yer own way, an
I'll take mine."

The cool impudence, of manner with which John Bumpus said this had its
effect on Ole, who, although fond enough of fighting against enemies,
had no sort of desire to fight against friends, especially for the sake
of a pirate.

"Come, Bumpus," said he, "you and I understand each other. Let us talk
the thing over calmly. I've quite as much objection to see unnecessary
bloodshed as you have. We have had enough of that lately. Tell me what
you know, and I promise to do what you recommend as far as I can in
reason."

"Do you promise to let no one else know wot I tell ye?"

"I do."

"An' d'ye promise to take no more than six niggers to prewent this
escape?"

"Will six be enough?"

"Plenty; but, if that bothers ye, say twelve; I'm not partic'lar--say
twelve. That's more than enough, for they'll only have four to fight
with."

"Well, I promise that too."

"Good. Now I'll tell ye all about it," said Bumpus. "You s