“What do you mean?� I cried.
“We’re masters of the ship.�
“Captain Matthews?�
“He’ll cap’n no more ships on this or any other seas,� answered Glibby with truculent emphasis.
Now it rose in my mind to shoot him then and there, murderous brute that he was—if I had been alone perhaps I would have done it without reckoning the consequences to myself, but I had another to think of. Unless craft stood me in good stead her case was hopeless. And bad as Glibby was, Pimball was the chief villain. No, I decided, nothing much would be gained by killing the boatswain’s mate when the boatswain lived. I trust no man will think me a traitor or craven for what I said next. The idea came to me on the instant and it seemed I could do no better than adopt it. God forgive me if it was wrong.
“Curse him!� I broke out with well simulated heat, “serves him right. He disrates me and locks me up here just for stealing a kiss from a maid, and—�
“Spoke like a man of spirit, Mister Hampdon,� cried Glibby, greatly pleased evidently. “What did I tell ye, mates? He’s with us.�
“With you,� said I, carelessly pointing my weapons downward but taking good care to keep them ready, “I am with you, all right. What do you propose? I am sick of the treatment I received, and—�
“We want that ’ere treasure for ourselves.�
“And you shall have it, provided I get my share with the other men,� I answered, scarcely startled by their words, for this I had expected.