“But are you sure the Navy people couldn’t locate us and get us back on board ship?” he was asking. “You know a deserter gets a severe dose of punishment.”
The other waved a not over-clean hand upon which, however, a “diamond” as big as a hazelnut glittered.
“Why so timid, my lad?” he asked banteringly. “I thought all you sailors were brave and bold and—and all that sort of thing. Why, you could hide up at that mine for ten years if you wanted to and no one would ever find you. But you won’t want to hide that long. When you come out with gold galore and have your own mansion and auto, who would ever suspect that you were a runaway sailor? Who’d even dare to hint at such a thing?”
“That’s so,” agreed young Childs. “I haven’t got an awful lot of money. But I could get some from my folks, I guess, and so could some of my ship-mates.”
The eyes of the hawk-faced man glittered greedily.
“It’s a gilt-edged proposition and you can write the folks at home so,” confided the rascal to the gullible young blue-jacket. “I don’t mind telling you that if I hadn’t taken a personal liking to you I’d never have let you in on it. It’s just pure unselfishness on my part, that’s what it is. But there, I’m wealthy enough now and can afford to be a good fellow to those I take a fancy to.”
“That’s mighty good of you,” replied poor Childs warmly. “I’ll give you a deposit on ten shares now and I’ll write home for more.”
He reached for his wallet and the hawk-eyed man’s evil optics glittered.
“I don’t mind telling you,” he said impressively, “that your intellect and ability will warrant me in naming you for the Chairman of the Board of Directors as soon as we get our company incorporated and things going.”
Young Childs’ face fairly glowed.