Tom Tulk observed, however, that the skipper’s ears were wide open.
“Not me!” Skipper George repeated, with a loud thump on the table. “No, sir! I’ll have nothin’ t’ do with it!”
Tom Tulk fancied that the skipper’s ears were a little bit wider than before; he was not at all deceived by this show of righteousness on the part of a weak man.
“Well, well!” he sighed. “Say no more about it.”
“I’m not denyin’,” said Skipper George, “that it could be done. I’m not denyin’ that it would be easy work. But I tells you, Tom Tulk, that I’ll have nothin’ t’ do with it. I’m an honest man, Tom Tulk, an’ I’d thank you t’ remember it.”
“Well, well!” Tom Tulk sighed again. “There’s many a man in this harbour would jump at the chance; but there’s never another so honest that I could trust him.” 215
“Many a man, if you like,” Skipper George growled; “but not me.”
“No, no,” Tom Tulk agreed, with a covert little sneer and grin; “not you.”
“’Tis a prison offense, man!”
“If you’re cotched,” Tom Tulk laughed. “An’ tell me, George Rumm, is I ever been cotched?”