“I wish somebody to fill these casks while we are gone,” he said. “You two boys will do as well as two men, if you will.”
“I will,” answered Diego, and Juan said the same.
“And you give me your word, each of you, not to try to desert?”
There were two vessels on the other side of the island that would have helped the whole crew desert if there had been the chance.
“I give my word,” said Diego.
“And I give mine,” said Juan, whereat Diego made no concealment of the disdainful curl of his lip, as if the word of Juan was not worth the taking.
The dislike of the boys for each other had only grown during all the period of the stay among the islands; for Miguel had carefully fanned the flame in Juan and set him constantly in an attitude of defiance to Diego, and Diego had been ready to construe the most innocent glance of the eye or turn of the hand into an insult.
Juan said nothing at first, but set to at his cask, unconsciously letting his anger urge him into such rapid movement that he spilled as much as he put in. Diego noticed it and laughed in a very unpleasant fashion. Juan stopped suddenly and fixed his eyes on Diego.
“Some day I will make you laugh on the other side of your face,” he said.
“Some day?” sneered Diego. “Why not to-day?”