"Do you think that fence would baulk you, Minalto?" asked Alwyn.
The quartermaster deliberately hauled a struggling fish into the boat as he replied:
"Say the word, sir, and I'll du it. Afore I wur nine I'd scale the fence at Star Castle, down at home, an' it wur no better nor worse than yon, I'll allow."
Minalto spoke without any indication of bragging, and Burgoyne, knowing his reputation, realized that this was the man he wanted. When the opportunity occurred, the Scilly Islander would be the man chosen to accompany him upon the daring expedition that was already being developed in Burgoyne's mind.
At about eleven in the forenoon Ah Ling, remarking "Muchee finee; upee anchor ", announced that it was time for the fishing operations to end.
With seventy pounds of fish to their credit, the men rowed back to the harbour. Burgoyne's "catch" was the smallest, but he had obtained some very useful information which he hoped to employ to good purpose at the first favourable opportunity.
Nevertheless it came as a bit of a shock when, on emerging out of the tunnel, he was stopped by Black Strogoff.
"I gave orders for your men to go to fish," exclaimed the pirate angrily. "Your place is with the men up there."
He pointed to the cliff on which some of the Donibristle's crew were still laboriously hauling cargo from the beach.
"Another time," continued Strogoff—"another time you go to fish instead of work the crane, I'll have you beaten till you cannot stand. You got that? Good, an' don't you forget it."