"I'll tell you why not. Our skipper is the best commander afloat, on'y he won't have no nonsense. We daresn't do it, we daresn't."
"Right, Joe."
"Now, harkye, messmates," said Hunston. "I'm not the man to get any man to fail in his duty; I wouldn't insult you by mentioning it. But mark my words, your skipper would be the first man to approve of such an act."
They shook their heads.
"Not he."
"I know he would, if what you say of him is right; only, d'ye see, he'd think it his duty to give me up for a fair trial. Well, and what would be the result of that? Why, as soon as you had set sail, they'd just do what they liked with me, and you'd never hear of me again in this world, whereas if I was concealed unknown to the skipper, he'd only be too glad afterwards to have such a good action done on board his ship without his having failed in his duty."
They listened to this, and listening they were lost.
That night Hunston slept in the hold of a ship, the two sailors having contrived to smuggle him on board with the greatest secrecy.
It had been a difficult task for them, and indeed the sailors well earned the money which he gave them.
Not a soul on board the ship, with the exception of the two sailors, had the least idea of his presence there.