“But they are too many for you to have with your weak force.”
“Well, sir, quite enough, but you keep the skipper on one schooner, and the men on the other. They’re best apart, sir.”
“But you cannot manage.”
“Lookye here, sir, I’m going to have a talk to old Taters, and I shall give him a capstan bar to use, instead of the cutlash. I don’t understand his lingo, but him and me can get on, and I can make him see what I want; and after that it won’t be safe for any man o’ the Yankee crew to put his head above the combings of that hatch. You trust me, sir, to manage. Dick Bannock’ll be quite as good as me if you appynt him mate. Get back aboard, and make sail, and we’ll follow steady like in your wake.”
“But the blacks we have set free?”
“Taters and me’ll manage them, sir, and ’fore many hours are up, we’ll have two or three on ’em good at pulling a rope. You won’t make much sail, sir, of course, now?”
“As little as I can, Tom; just as much as we can manage. Then now I’ll get back, and the sooner we can set eyes on the Nautilus the better.”
“So say I, sir. But you keep a good heart, sir, and above all things don’t you trust Mr Yankee Skipper, sir.”
Mark gave the sailor a meaning look.
“That’s right, sir, and above all things mind he don’t get hold o’ no pistols.”