The man was silent for a few moments, looking keenly from one to the other, and then at the rope, before giving his leg a sharp slap, and whispering with his face full of animation—
“Why, you’re going to steal aboard the gunboat in the dark, and make fast one end of this ’ere rope to that there big pocket-pistol, so as we can haul her overboard. But no, lads, it can’t be done. But even if it could it would only stick fast among them coral rocks that lie off yonder.”
“And what would that matter, so long as we got it overboard?”
“Ah, I never thought of that. But no, my lad; you may give that up. It couldn’t be done.”
“Well, it isn’t going to be done,” said Fitz sharply; “and now let’s have no more talk. But mind this—Mr Poole and I don’t want you to say anything to the other men. It’s a serious business, and we want you to wait.”
“That’s right, sir. I’ll wait and help you all I can; and I’ll make half-a-davy, as the lawyers calls it, that I won’t tell the other lads anything. ’Cause why—I don’t know.”