«Somewhere on the Isthmus of Darien. There's precision, on my soul! With that information, I can go straight to the spot, and set my hand on it. As for the rest, Monsieur Joinville, I invite you to observe it's not myself is making difficulties about the articles. On the one–fifth share which I asked from the outset, I might have been prepared to join Captain Easterling. But now that I'm confirmed in all that I suspected of him and more, why, I wouldn't join him for a half–share in this treasure, supposing it to exist at all, which I do not.»
That brought every man of the Bonaventure to his feet as if it had been a signal, and they were clamorous too, until Easterling waved them into silence. Upon that silence cut the tenor voice of Monsieur Joinville.
«You are a singularly rash man, Captain Blood.»
«Maybe, maybe,» said Blood, light and airily. «Time will show. The last word's not yet been said.»
«Then here's to say it,» quoth Easterling, quietly sinister on a sudden. «I was about to warn you that ye'll not be allowed to leave this ship with the information ye possess until the articles is signed. But since ye so clearly show your intentions, why, things have gone beyond warnings.»
From his seat at the table, which he retained, Captain Blood looked up at the sinister bulk of the Captain of the Bonaventure, and the three men from the Cinco Llagas observed with mingled amazement and dismay that he was smiling. At first so unusually diffident and timid; now so deliberately and recklessly provoking. He was beyond understanding. It was Hagthorpe who spoke for them.
«What do you mean, Captain? What do you intend by us?»
«Why, to clap you into irons, and stow you under hatches, where you can do no harm.»
«My God, sir …» Hagthorpe was beginning, when Captain Blood's crisp, pleasant voice cut across his speech.
«And you, Monsieur Joinville, will permit this without protest?»