“Hush! Don’t make such talk so loud that everybody on board can hear you.”
“It strikes me there are worse things than stealing,” the mate said slowly.
“But this isn’t one of them. The brig is insured way up on what ain’t in the hold, and suppose she founders off the Florida Keys, who is going to be any the wiser? There’s no need that even the men should know, providing you and I work together, and we can take to the boats without a smell of danger.”
“It is a clear case of cheating somebody, even though we don’t risk the lives of the crew.”
“Nonsense! Every cent will come from the rich insurance companies, and you can’t say that is wronging any one in particular. What would be the difference to a stock company which rolls up thousands of dollars in profits every year, if they had to pay an extra risk or two? It’s such a chance for us as a man seldom gets in this world, and we’ll take it if you say the word.”
There was quite a long interval of silence, and then Ned heard Mr. Stout ask:
“Have you made your preparations for scuttling her?”
“No, there wasn’t need of that until you and I had come to an understanding; and even then we don’t want to do anything until we’re off the Keys where there’ll be no very great tumbling around in the boats.”
“How is it to be done?”
“We’ll scuttle her from the stern. I’ve seen to it the cargo was stowed in such a manner that we can get down to her skin without any trouble. It might be a slight explosion in the forward hold—not enough to do any damage, but sufficient to start the men into a panic—would work to our advantage.”