"What do you want, then?"
"I beg your pardon, sir; but we all shipped for Palermo, and up the Mediterranean; and we don't think we shall make that port on this tack."
"You are more than half right," added the mate, with an oath, as he glanced at the captain and the two passengers.
"If you please, sir, we would like to know where the bark is bound," continued Jack, scraping his foot upon the deck, as he made his most respectful bow.
"She is bound to put a lot of money in your pockets, my lads."
"Thank you, sir; but where shall we fetch up?"
"No matter about that, now. I'll tell you all about it in a few days," replied Waterford, more gently than I had heard him speak since I came on board. "If you want plum duff for dinner every day, you shall have it. Here, doctor!" he shouted to the cook. "Give all hands plum duff every day."
"Thank you, sir," Jack proceeded, with another scrape and bow. "Plum duff is good; but we would like to know where the bark is bound."
"Bound for a port where you will make more money than you ever saw before, my lads. By the way, boys, we are going to serve out grog in this bark three times a day after this, and we will begin now."
My heart sank within me, for I was afraid that the virtue of Sanderson and Baxter would not be proof against the seductions of rum. They were good men when sober; I knew that they were little better than demons when drunk.