“O, we’ll see about that,” said Davis. “You brace up, and we’ll see about that. You’re all run down, that’s what’s wrong with you; you’re all nerves, like Jemimar; you’ve got to brace up good and be yourself again, and then we’ll talk.”
“To sea,” reiterated Herrick, “to sea to-night—now—this moment!”
“It can’t be, my son,” replied the captain firmly. “No ship of mine puts to sea without provisions; you can take that for settled.”
“You don’t seem to understand,” said Herrick. “The whole thing is over, I tell you. There is nothing to do here, when he knows all. That man there with the cat knows all; can’t you take it in?”
“All what?” asked the captain, visibly discomposed. “Why, he received us like a perfect gentleman and treated us real handsome, until you began with your foolery—and I must say I seen men shot for less, and nobody sorry! What more do you expect anyway?”
Herrick rocked to and fro upon the sand, shaking his head.
“Guying us,” he said; “he was guying us—only guying us; it’s all we’re good for.”
“There was one queer thing, to be sure,” admitted the captain, with a misgiving of the voice; “that about the sherry. Damned if I caught on to that. Say, Herrick, you didn’t give me away?”
“O! give you away!” repeated Herrick with weary, querulous scorn. “What was there to give away? We’re transparent; we’ve got rascal branded on us: detected rascal—detected rascal! Why, before he came on board, there was the name painted out, and he saw the whole thing. He made sure we would kill him there and then, and stood guying you and Huish on the chance. He calls that being frightened! Next he had me ashore; a fine time I had! The two wolves, he calls you and Huish. What is the puppy doing with the two wolves? he asked. He showed me his pearls; he said they might be dispersed before morning, and all hung by a hair—and smiled as he said it, such a smile! O, it’s no use, I tell you! He knows all, he sees through all; we only make him laugh with our pretences—he looks at us and laughs like God!”
There was a silence. Davis stood with contorted brows, gazing into the night.