“Then what help do you want?”
“Friendly help. I’m down in a hole, and I want you and your brother to pull me out.”
“Please explain.”
“Don’t be in a hurry. You’ve been too sharp for me as it is.”
“How? I never saw you till yesterday, when you came hanging about our table.”
“Enough to make any man hang about. It made me wild, squire, to see the ground cut from under my feet. I’m not used to it.”
“I am quite ignorant of having done anything to injure you, sir,” said Brace. “Will you explain yourself?”
“Oh, I’ll precious soon explain. You and your brother pushed in before me and stole my skipper.”
“Did what?” cried Brace.
“Stole my skipper, squire. I came here straight, after being too late over a schooner at Trinidad. Found out that Skipper Banes had been disappointed of a cargo and was just the man likely to make a bargain with me, but before I could get in tow with him you and your brother had hooked on.”