"I am he that cut you down when you were choking your rogue's life out in
Adam Penfeather's noose—along of Abnegation Mings yonder—"
As I spoke I saw Mings thrust away the pistol he had drawn and lean towards me, peering.
"Sink me!" cried he. "It's him, Roger; 'tis Martin sure as saved of us from
Penfeather, curse him, on Bartlemy's Island three years agone—it's him,
Roger, it's him!"
"Bleed me!" said Tressady, nodding. "But you're i' th' right on't, Abny. You ha' th' right on't, lad. 'Tis Marty, sure enough, Marty as was bonnet to me aboard the Faithfull Friend and since he stood friend to us in regard to Adam Penfeather (with a' curse!) it's us shall stand friends t' him. Here's luck and a fair wind t' ye, Marty!" So saying, he loosed me from his hook, and, clapping me on the shoulder, brought me to the circle about the fire.
"Oh, sink me!" cried Mings, flourishing a case-bottle under my nose. "Burn me, if this aren't pure joy! I know a man as don't forget past benefits and that's Abnegation! Sit down, Martin, and let us eat and, which is better, drink together!"
"Why, so we will, Abny, so we will," said Tressady, seating himself within reach of Joanna. "'Twas pure luck us falling in wi' two old messmates like Marty and Resolution and us in need of a few hell-fire, roaring boys! 'Tis like a happy family, rot me, all love and good-fellowship and be damned! Come, we'll eat, drink and be merry, for to-morrow—we sail, all on us, aboard my ship Vengeance, as lieth 'twixt Fore and Main islands yonder, ready to slip her moorings!"
"Avast, friend!" said Resolution, blinking his solitary eye at Tressady.
"The captain o' the Coast Brotherhood is Joanna here—Captain Jo, by the
Brotherhood so ordained; 'tis Captain Jo commands here—"
"Say ye so, Resolution, say ye so, lad?" quoth Tressady, tapping at chin with glittering hook. "Now mark me—and keep both hands afore ye—so, my bully—hark'ee now—there's none commands where I am save Roger Tressady!" said he, looking round upon us and with a flourish of his hook. "Now if so be any man thinks different, let that man speak out!"
"And what o' Captain Jo?" demanded Resolution.
"That!" cried Tressady, snapping finger and thumb. "Captain Jo is not, henceforth—sit still, lad—so! Now lift his barkers, Abny—in his pockets. Still and patient, lad, still and patient!" So Resolution perforce suffered himself to be disarmed, while Joanna, pale and languid in the firelight, watched all with eyes that gleamed beneath drooping lashes.