"Better me than you, my lad," said the old sailor stoutly. "Don't trouble yourself about that. It was my own free will, and if I had been unwilling all the power of the captain couldn't have made me submit to it. Besides there was one thing that repaid me for it all. Antonio got something he'll remember to the latest day of his life, I reckon. However that ain't what I want to say now. It's just this. I haven't any particular inducements to stay aboard this vessel, and I've about made up my mind to give them the slip at the first port we come to, if you'll go with me."
"Where do we touch first?"
"At Rio, I surmise."
"I'm ready to go with you, Bill, whenever you say the word," said Charlie, promptly.
"That's right, my lad."
And so the agreement was made.
XXIX.
DANGER THREATENS BILL STURDY.
It is my intention to pass rapidly over the time which intervened between the events which have been described, and the arrival of the Bouncing Betsey at Rio Janeiro. Nothing happened of sufficient interest to call for record.
As for our hero and Bill Sturdy, their position was, unquestionably, more agreeable and less disturbed by incidents than before. This was not owing to any change in the feelings of the captain and mate, but in consequence of the iniquitous compact into which they had entered. They felt secure of ultimate vengeance; they could, therefore, afford to wait. Indeed, they felt that they should be more likely to secure the end they had in view if, for the present, they should so act as to lull asleep any suspicions which might be entertained of their agency in the affair after it was over.