“But they may murder you!” shudderingly murmured the young girl.
“Put your hand there!” exclaimed Stump, straightening himself, and indicating his left breast.
“Oh! I know your heart is all right. But—”
“Put your hand there,” persisted Stump again, pointing toward his heart.
This time Alice obeyed, and she felt the stock of a revolver that was concealed beneath the Guernsey frock.
“You are armed!”
“Ay, ay!” exclaimed Stump, “two hearts, like two heads, are better than one. An iron heart for the blueskins—— ’em, and Stump’s own heart for Alice Howard, at your sarvice!”
And making his best bow, the speaker turned and rolled off like a cask of oil, in the direction of the windlass.
Alice then moved to the companion-way and descended into the cabin.