“Yes,” said Frank. “We don’t need it any longer.”
One of the Italians ran hurriedly below. Returning he placed two bags of gold in Jack’s hand.
“Take this, signor,” he exclaimed. “We will have no luck unless we give you this gold.”
“No,” replied Jack, “all I want is what is due me.”
“Yes, yes; you must take it, signor,” cried all the Italians.
Jack thrust his hand into one of the canvas bags and brought out a handful of coins, from which he selected two. The others he returned to the bag, adding to them a couple of coins from his own pocket.
“Two shillings change,” he remarked.
He threw the bags down on deck and dropped himself into the small boat now lying alongside. The other two followed him.
But he had hardly taken his seat when two heavy thumps on the floor of the boat, followed by a jingling impact, announced the arrival of the two bags of gold.
“You must take the gold, signor. You must take it, else we shall have no luck.”