him, and
there they're welcome to stay so long as they don't interfere with us,'
says he, `and I'll take good care they don't,' says he. `But what's
that to do with you?'

"`Well,' says I, `I likes the skipper; he's been a good friend to me,
and I couldn't be content to see harm come to him. If you'll promise to
shove him ashore all safe,' says I, `I don't mind taking a hand in your
little game.'

"`Very sensible indeed,' says the Yankee; `you've a darned sight better
notions in your head than they two stupid cusses as has just gone over
the side with nothin' to ballast 'em but their--honesty,' says he; `and
as for the skipper--make your mind easy. We've no grudge agin him; all
we wants is the ship; and now we've got her, we means to put the skipper
and the mate both ashore somewheres where they can be snug and
comfortable like together, but where there'll be no chance of our
hearin' anything more from 'em for the rest of their lives.'

"And that's the way it was all settled," continued the man. "I made up
my mind I'd never do no pirating if I could help it; and I thought maybe
if I stuck to the craft, I might be able to help the skipper a bit
somehow, and if ever I got a chance, why, I'd make a clean run for it,
and I reckoned I should find a way to do that the first port we touched
at.

"Well, as soon as matters was arranged, the Yankee takes the command,
and makes the Greek chief-mate; the watches was divided, the course
altered, and away we goes to the east'ard, on the starboard tack, with a
taut bowline and everything set as would draw, from the skysails down.
One hand is told off from each watch to keep a look-out in the cabin;
and the steward has his orders to do everything he could for the poor
skipper. He had a hard time of it, poor man, for when he was getting
better, and the truth couldn't any longer be kept from him, the mate
told him what had happened, and the news took him so completely aback
that he got as bad as ever again, and the wonder is that he didn't slip
his cables altogether. However, he managed to hold on to 'em, and at
last the fever left him; but he was that weak he hadn't strength to turn
over in his berth without help.

"All this time we were going to the east'ard, or about east-south-east,
with everything set that the spars would bear. At last, about a month
or maybe five weeks after the mutiny--I didn't keep much account of the
time--we fetches up, all standing, one dark night