"He was with the crooks, was he?" asked Smart.
"Oh, yes, he thought you had money—he has to stand in wid de gang. He was mad as er hornet at me buttin' in, but jest couldn't help it. I'll square him some day, an' he knows it. If he didn't know it, he'd 'a' plugged me when dey jumped me. I reckon he c'u'd 'a' done it, all right, for he's a mighty fine shot, dat Journegan. But I sho had it in fer Skinny Ike—he done me onct."
"Seems like a pretty tough bunch of men along the bank here, don't it?" said Smart. "Journegan hinted that there was something done wrong to Mr. Dunn's yacht—he said she must have leaked—what?"
Bahama Bill stopped rowing the small boat. They were half-way to the Sea-Horse, and lights were already showing along the shore, telling plainly that pursuit would be made in short order. The tide set them toward the vessel, but Bill gazed steadily at Smart through the darkness.
"Did Journegan say dat?" he asked quietly.
"Yes, and I would like to know what he meant by it."
"You know why he did all dat shootin'—all dat firin' to hit nobody? Dat was jest to get the place pulled—pulled before you made a gitaway, toe git your money. He knowed you an' me were enemies—knowed dat yo' had it in fer me, knowed dat I wrecked Mr. Dunn's yacht, an' dat yo' sho had no claim wid me—an' dat's where he made a mistake——"
"You wrecked the schooner?" cried Smart.
"Sho, cap, I dun wrecked her. Don't yo' remember de day—de night—I came abo'd, harpooned by a fool Yankee mate? Well, I was pullin' a seam dat night—dat's what made her leak——"
"You are a devil—the blackest rascal I ever met. You can take me ashore, I won't have anything more to do with you—turn about."