"That's so," said Owen. "He would have been swimming to shore with the stolen watch and drowned."
"But, of course, he would swim to shore, unless—well, it's a case of
making sure beforehand. We could persuade him to go in and try to kill
Blinky here while Blinky's asleep—then rush in and finish him. Even
Pauline was a witness to the attack he made on Blinky this afternoon."
The pirate's glowing countenance suddenly, went white.
"Not this trip," he said fervently. "I ain't goin' to kill no man in a trap like that. I'm goin' to see it done fair and square in the open —with plenty o' drink in 'im an' 'is conscience clear. I wouldn't see no man die with murder in 'is heart fer me."
"I don't like it," said Owen nervously. "I don't like the idea of doing too much. We've got one big piece of work to do that concerns her." He nodded in the direction of the cabin. "Dye mean to say we can't get a poor half-breed cook off this boat without killing him? Why not discharge him?"
Hicks uttered a grim chuckle. "I must say I never thought of that. Get a boat manned, will you, Boyd, and we'll put him ashore within half an hour."
"All hands for'ard," bellowed the pirate's voice. The "all hands" were
Owen, Hicks, the pirate and Pauline.
"Why all hands? Can't you handle the cook yourself?" said Owen.
"Not to put that cook ashore—ye need a navy," said Boyd.
Backed by Owen and Hicks, he moved to the cabin.