Thrasher turned a dull white, and, for an instant, a sound as if his teeth were beginning to chatter, came faintly through his lips, but he turned it off with a laugh.
"Hang me if I care what you do with the fellow or the boy. I only wish we had left them behind; that would have settled it once for all."
"But seeing as they're here, I won't stand by and have 'em murdered outright."
"Well, well, as you like; it won't pay for us to quarrel, Rice."
"Enough said, captain."
"Now I'll go down and finish my breakfast," said Thrasher, tossing the end of his cigar overboard. "Confounded coffee the fellow sent down; that was what commenced the row, I believe; but I'll try another cup."
"Aye, aye, better go down and leave the rest to me," said Rice, stooping tenderly over the boy. "Come, get up, my little chap; it's all over! No use wilting down in this way! poor fellow, poor fellow, how he shakes!"
The child, who had been lying with a hand pressed hard over each ear, lifted his head, and turned his white face on the seaman.
"Is it over? Have they killed him? Oh! Jube, Jube!"
This pathetic cry reached the unhappy man, who had just been taken down from his place of torture. With his helpless hands hanging loose, and the red drops falling from his shoulders, he came reeling across the deck, and lay down by the boy, like a great Newfoundland dog wounded unto death.