“Exactly. Very clever of you, my fine fellow; but look here: suppose I make you forfeit your baggage when I set you ashore?”
“Law won’t let you, skipper.”
“I’m the law on board my ship,” cried the captain angrily. “Suppose I refuse to stop my vessel to get your baggage out of the hold, and that precious cask?”
“Good, that’s right, skipper—precious cask,” said the American coolly.
“Precious or not precious, I shall set you ashore, and continue my voyage, and whether it lasts one month or twelve, you may wait for your baggage till I come back, and you may look for me wherever I am.”
“You can’t do it, skipper,” said the American smoking away quietly.
“Oh, can’t I, sir?” cried the captain. “You’ll see.”
“No, I shan’t, skipper. It would be murder, I tell you, to set me ashore, and double murder to sail away with my luggage.”
“Bah!” cried the captain.
“You see, there’s that cask. What about it?”