“Let’s take chances.”
“How?”
“Run down off Fire Island light, put the lad in a yawl and send him adrift. He may reach shore, he may not. If he does you are clear of the dead men; if he don’t it ain’t your fault. But I’ve one thing to say.”
“All right, speak right out.”
“I’d chance the dead men, I would.”
The words had hardly left the mate’s lips when right at his ear there sounded a yell that almost froze the blood in his veins. He stood and trembled like a Macbeth gazing upon the apparition of a Banquo.
“Ah!” ejaculated the captain, “you don’t mind being haunted by dead men, eh?”
“Hush!” pleaded the mate.
“This boat is haunted, that’s sure. There’s no luck in her and I shall sell her as quick as I can, and I shall get rid of that boy, money or no money. And besides I’ve got an idea; yes, I have. Those fellows might ‘bilk’ me if anything did happen to the lad, and they might haunt me and blackmail me. It’s all bad business. I never intended that any real harm should come to the lad anyhow. You were the devil who urged me on, and——”
At this instant again there sounded a yell in the ear of the mate and he shouted: