"How could you talk with him through the bulkhead?"
He explained that he had bored a hole through the thin board partition which formed the bulkhead, and arranged the whole plot with Waterford. This confession afforded me great relief, since it assured me that none of the men upon whom we relied had been faithless. Our men, in their anxiety to obtain liquor, had aided the pirate in going between decks, and while they supposed he was simply procuring the rum, he was plotting with Waterford for the recapture of the bark. This was Grego's story. Whether it was true or not I had no means of knowing, though it appeared to be entirely plausible.
"Didn't you promise, and even swear, that you would do your duty, and obey the present officers of the bark, when we set you at liberty?" I continued.
"I did, sir—pardon me!" pleaded he.
"Will you obey the orders of the present officers of the bark?"
"I will, and I call upon La Madre—"
"Don't call upon any one above. You are a liar at heart, and your word is just as good as your oath. Take off his irons, Baxter."
The stout seaman obeyed the order without a question.
"If you don't do just what I tell you, I'll shoot you without any warning. Do you understand me?"
"I do; I will obey you."