“Don’t trouble yourself about thinking whether it’s funny or not,” says Chester in a quarter-deck tone that astonishes the French boy. “Sit down!”
“I’d—I’d like to go home for breakfast,” mutters Achille nervously.
“Stay here, have breakfast with me, and do as I tell you. That’s what your master bids you do.”
Thus commanded, and a very savory breakfast making its appearance, Achille sits down and eats, though Guy does not join him, for he is thinking with all his soul what he shall do.
He can, perhaps, find safety himself in flight, but leave his men to be butchered or executed he will not. Every instinct of manhood compels him to stay with those whose lives he has put into such desperate jeopardy. [[150]]Besides this poor French boy who has unwittingly risked his life to save him. But one thing can save them all! That is to get them out on the open sea on the Esperanza. He has lost last night’s chance of preparation by the failure of Achille’s horse. But he guesses that suspicion will not fall upon him for the next few hours. Brussels is thirty miles away, and even after word arrives it will take some time for the Spanish spies to discover that Andrea Blanco has dined with Oliver the traitor twice and breakfasted once at the Tower of the Angels.
Altogether he thinks he is sure of six hours. So ordering the last few bales of cargo and hides to be discharged as quickly as possible, and bidding Achille to keep himself close in the cabin, he goes out hurriedly to the office of his consignees, which is just opening for the day’s business.
Here getting word in the private office with the senior partner, he says: “I have discharged my cargo. Can’t you give me consignment in ballast to some place?”
“Absurd!” answers the florid Jacobszoon. “Why should we send you with ballast when we can get charter money for you? Wait here until cargo is obtained.”
“You must give me a consignment in ballast.”
“Why?”