Flint swallowed hard.
"Ye mean it ain't here? It ain't aboard the James?"
"Precisely, captain."
"Gut me!" roared Flint. "Ye divided it by your lone? Wi'out a man from the Walrus to stand by and see fair play? I'll not support it, Murray. Curse me if I will!"
My great-uncle tapped his snuff-box.
"Your suspicions are quite unnecessary," he said. "Had I intended to defraud you, be sure I would not have enlarged the sum intended for division betwixt the two ships by sixty-three thousand pounds and more. Indeed, figuring in the jewels and plate, there must be an excess of better than one hundred thousand pounds."
"I know your tricks!" yelled Flint. "May I be —— —— for a —— —— —— if any lousy swab of a sea-lawyer politician is a-goin' to cast dust in my eyes. 'Twould be the very thing you'd do, Murray, to attempt to cozen me into believing seven hundred thousand pounds had been set aside for your 'friends' by throwing in an extra hundred thousand pounds for our division. 'Friends!' By thunder, the only friend ye know is yourself, ye dried-up wisp of a ——"
"That will do," said my great-uncle in his still, level voice.
Flint opened and shut his mouth rapidly without a sound issuing forth.
"I bar personalities, captain," warned my redoubtable relative.