“Why, hooroar, of course, I’ve got the chap as would do it.”
“Where?” cried Waller.
“Why, I ar’n’t got him in my pocket, lad, but there’s my brother-in-law, him and his two mates, who’ve got a lugger of their own. Down yonder by Loo Creek, facing the Isle, you know. Five pounds! Why, they have to go and lay out their nets a many times to get five pounds. They’d do it—leastways, brother-in-law Jem would. Cherbourg, eh? Why, he’s been there lots of times.”
“Splendid, Bunny?” cried Waller eagerly; and then, looking solemn at the thought of parting from his new friend: “But could you trust him, Bunny?”
“Trust him, sir?”
“Yes. I mean, he wouldn’t betray the poor fellow, would he?”
Bunny stared at Waller for a moment, and then moistened both his hands, gave them a rub together, and clenched them.
“He’d better!” he said. “Why, I’d—I’d—I’d—half smash him! Nay, I wouldn’t—I’d take his wife away. Sister Jen wouldn’t stop along with a sneak. But bah! Fisherman Jem! You might trust him anywhere. He’d want stirring up to make him go, but me and the five pounds would make that all right.”
“Oh, I oughtn’t to have doubted him, Bunny; he’s your brother-in-law; that’s enough for me. Then, as soon as the soldiers are gone—I don’t want to, and I suppose I oughtn’t to—but we will get him down to the lugger and send him off home to come to his senses.”
“Ah!” cried Bunny, “and you tell him, Master Waller, to stop there, for it ar’n’t honest to come here trying to steal the King’s crown.”