“Oh you’ll take her, fast enough,” said the man with a hoarse chuckle. “Yah! There’s no fight in them. They’ll chatter and jabber a bit, and their skipper’ll swear he’ll do all sorts o’ things, but you stick to the boat as soon as your lads are on board.”
“Trust me for that,” said the lieutenant. “Now, then, when is the cargo to be run?”
“T’night.”
“And where?”
“Never you mind wheer. Get up your anchor, and make sail; I’ll take the helm.”
“What, do you think I am going to let a strange man pilot my vessel?”
“Yah!” growled the man; “shan’t you be there, and if I come any games, you’ve got pistols, aren’t you? But just as you like.”
“Come on deck,” said the lieutenant. “But one minute. I have lost a boy—gone ashore. Have you seen one?”
“Not I; lots o’ boys about, soon get another!”
The man went clumping on deck, and stepped over the side into his boat.