"Oh, don't bother about that; that's all square; the parson's made it up with me. Arter all it was only business. I wanted that money for our ship's stores, and I had to trade some'ow."
"You may consider yourself lucky Mr. Johnson did not prosecute you."
"Oh! he wouldn't be such a mean white as that," grinned the skipper, winking his one eye; "he's a straight cuss, he is; there ain't much wrong with 'im as I can see."
Half annoyed and amazed at the old salt's rascality, the inspector turned away. He was promptly buttonholed by Carwell.
"See here, Mr. Inspector; have you caught that blackguard Brand?"
"No, I have not; nor Pharaoh Lee either, for that matter. Where the pair of them have got to, beats me."
Captain Jacob chuckled. He knew very well where one of them was, but he had no intention of gratifying Mr. Inspector Chard's curiosity. To have done that would have been to risk a lively storm with his first mate; and the artful Shackel was counting far too much on Jack's influence at Koiau, to run any risks of that kind.
But Carwell paid no attention to Jacob's chuckle. His mind was busy with many thoughts, and he continued his conversation with the inspector.
"It is a great disgrace to Bethgamul," he said dejectedly, "a very great disgrace. We believed in the man; we called him brother; we thought he was good. But he has poured dust on our heads."
"But remember, sir, what your pastor overheard him say--that he wished to kill Tera in order that Niga might force his people to become Christians."