As he spoke, the lad approached an open window of the cabin; a splash upon the water was heard, and then a treasure, that might have furnished a competence to moderate wishes, was lost for ever to the uses of those who had created its value. The lieutenant of the “Dart” turned in haste to deprecate the anger of the Rover; but his eye could trace, in the features of the lawless chief, no other emotion than a pity which was discoverable even through his calm and unmoved smile.
“Roderick would make but a faithless treasurer,” he said. “Still it is not too late to restore him to his friends. The loss of the gold can be repaired; but, should any serious calamity befall the boy, I might never regain a perfect peace of mind.”
“Then keep him near yourself,” murmured the lad, whose vehemence had seemingly expended itself. “Go, Mr Wilder, go; your boat is waiting; a longer stay will be without an object.”
“I fear it will!” returned our adventurer, who had not ceased, during the previous dialogue, to keep his look fastened, in manly commiseration, on the countenance of the boy; “I greatly fear it will!—Since I have come the messenger of another, Captain Heidegger it is your province to supply a fitting answer to my proposition.”
The Rover took him by the arm, and led him to a position whence they might look upon the outer scene. Then, pointing upward at his spars, and making his companion observe the small quantity of sail he carried, he simply said, “Sir, you are a seaman and may judge of my intentions by this sight I shall neither seek nor avoid your boasted cruiser of King George.”
Chapter XXX.
“Front to front,
Bring thou this fiend——
Within my sword’s length set him; if he ’scape,
Heaven forgive him too!”
Macbeth.
“You have brought the grateful submission of the pirate to my offers!” exclaimed the sanguine Commander of the “Dart” to his messenger, as the foot of the latter once more touched his deck.
“I bring nothing but defiance!” was the unexpected reply.