Guy was not without fears that Captain Richmond would, on some pretext, decline to carry out his contract, and refuse to visit the Agalegas Islands.
A captain at sea is such an autocrat that he often takes indefensible liberties, and transcends his rightful authority. He can make things exceedingly uncomfortable for anyone for whom he feels a dislike or cherishes a grudge.
It soon became evident, however, that whatever opinion he might have of Guy’s enterprise, he didn’t intend to interpose any obstacle to his visit to the islands.
Abner Titcomb, though for the last ten years a blacksmith, was from the age of twenty to thirty years a seaman, and had risen to be a first mate. He could, in an emergency, have taken the place of captain and commanded a vessel.
He assured Guy, from his own observations, that Captain Richmond had changed his course, and was steering in the direction of the islands.
“That relieves me very much,” said Guy. “I didn’t know what the captain’s obstinacy might have led him to do.”
“He may still be able to thwart you, even after reaching the island,” returned Titcomb.
“I won’t borrow trouble in advance,” said Guy. “The first step is to reach the island. After that I will manage to carry out the rest of the program.”
The crew consisted of Irish and Americans, with one exception. This was Guido Leporelli, a swarthy Italian, who was, upon the whole, a good sailor.
He was short, and of light weight, but strong and muscular. He held little intercourse with the rest of the crew, partly perhaps because he was not a good English scholar, and could not speak the language fluently, though he understood sea terms.