"Well—well—I am with you," said Hawkshaw, in a low and husky voice.
"Bueno! we should fight for the ship whether you were with us or not. Your hand on it, mate! But first, what terms do you want?"
"My life, in the first place, to be respected by all, and to be set ashore on the first land we see, as I am not a seaman."
"The first land may be a sea-weedy rock, at the mouth of the Mozambique," said Pedro, with a diabolical grin, as it suggested a new idea of cruelty. "Your share of plunder?"
"I seek no plunder. I seek but revenge and liberty."
"Your hand, then; and let us forget all about the Barranca Secca."
Pedro grasped in his strong, hard hand the shrinking fingers of Hawkshaw, thinking the while;
"This ship once ours, I shall soon make short work of it with you, my fine fellow!" Grinding his teeth, he added aloud, "If you betray us, woe to you."
"I am pledged," said Hawkshaw, in a voice like a groan.
"The cargo is valuable, so we shall go in for a good stroke of business together."