So Miss Onslow’s foreboding had come true, then! We knew too much, and were no doubt to be sacrificed in cold blood to ensure the safety of this piratical gang. But “fore-warned is fore-armed”; moreover, there was this man Harry clearly disposed to be friendly to us, or why should he take the risk of acquainting me with this terrible news? As I realised all the fresh anxiety and watchfulness that this information would entail upon me, I faltered for a moment under a feeling of overwhelming despair; but it was gone instantly; and within the next second or two I had pulled myself together, the fighting instinct had leapt up, alert and eager, and I was once more ready to do battle against the whole ruffianly mob of them for the life and honour of the girl that I now loved beyond any other earthly thing.
“And what do the men say to it?”
I asked, stepping up on the grating and, hands in pocket, balancing myself jauntily to the heave and roll of the plunging hull as I continued to gaze contemplatively at the windy sky away on our starboard quarter.
“Why,” answered, Harry, “it’s no use denyin’ that they’re all of the same mind as t’other two. They s’ys that you knows enough to hang all hands of us, and that you’d be certain sure to do it, too, if we was only to give yer half a chaunce.”
“And what is your opinion upon the matter, my man?” demanded I.
“Well,” said he, “I thinks as p’rhaps they’re right, so far as that goes. But I don’t hold with murder; and I said as I thought we might be able to plan out a way of makin’ ourselves safe without doin’ no hurt to you and the young lidy. But they wouldn’t listen to me; they’re all for makin’ theirselves safe, as they calls it.”
“And what is their scheme?” asked I.
“Why, accordin’ to their present way of thinking they intends to ast you to make the Brazilian coast, somewheres about twenty mile or so from some big port; and they’re goin’ to tell you as when we’ve made the land the brig is to be scuttled, and all hands—you and the lidy included—is to take to the boats and land, givin’ ourselves out to be a shipwrecked crew. But, at the last minute, when all is ready for leaving you and the lidy is to be seized, lashed hand and foot, and locked up below, to go down with the brig.”
“A very pretty, diabolical, cold-blooded scheme,” commented I, “and one that would have been very likely to prove successful, had you not warned me. I am infinitely obliged to you, my man, and you may rest assured that I will not forget, the good turn you have done me in making me acquainted with the plan. I shall endeavour to frustrate it, of course. May I depend upon you to help me?”
“Why, as to that, sir,” answered the fellow, “everything’ll depend upon what you makes up your mind to do. I won’t have nothin’ to do wi’ murderin’ of you, that’s certain. But, on t’other hand, I don’t mean to mix myself up with no job that means havin’ my throat cut if the thing don’t happen to turn out all right.”