They went below and settled about the table, leaving the eager men to smash the mahogany chests with axes. Frontin brought what was left of the Spanish wine, and a rare old drink it was; Crawford made his own tale brief, and listened to Vanderberg’s tale, and presently Bose came down to hear, fists full of gold and a wide grin on his face. The other men drifted down by ones and twos, until they were all crowded into the cabin and some with gold bars, others with coin found in one of the chests.
Crawford sipped at the Spanish wine but refused to drink heavily. In his manner was a certain constraint, a cold and imperturbable air of waiting; as he listened to Vanderberg’s ranting about roaming the Indies with his squadron and mayhap taking aboard more men and sacking some Spanish town on the main, a smile tugged at his lips and his blue eyes glinted frostily. Presently this mien of his impinged upon Vanderberg’s perception, so that the captain turned to him with an oath.
“What’s in you, Crawford? Hast no warmth in life? Come, down with the wine and we’ll go aboard the bark and take possession.”
“Nay,” said Crawford. “Our ways part here.”
Now Vanderberg stared at him, and Bose and the men stared, and a moment of heavy silence settled upon them all. But Frontin’s smile grew more saturnine.
“What d’ye mean?” growled Vanderberg, meeting the icy stab of those blue eyes.
“The bark’s new and uncommon stout,” said Crawford quietly. “No better ship could be found to batter ice. The ketch is near as large as this craft of yours and an even better sailer. I’ve put no lack of supplies aboard her; indeed, I took her for your use. Move your guns into her and head south or to the devil. I’ll take the bark, with my eight Irish and five of the English who want to fare with me to Hudson Bay——”
Vanderberg’s eyes blazed. “Eh? Take the bark? I say you shall not.” And his big fist crashed down on the table, while the men around uttered blasphemous approval. Vanderberg bawled at the men for silence, reduced himself to calmness by an effort, and turned to Crawford.
“Hark’ee!” said he, leaning forward over the table and giving look for look. “One thing ye forgot. All of us are sworn to certain articles. Any of us may quit the ship whenever he chooses; but company property’s another thing. The bark belongs to all of us.”
“Ay!” chimed up a chorus of voices. But Crawford laughed a little.