“Hast thou breakfasted?” said Captain Horsley.
“No,” I answered.
“Thou hast the means, I trust, of providing a meal?”
“We have plenty of provisions.”
“Thou may’st consider all things settled,” said he, slowly turning his head to gaze at the lady Aurora. “I will break my fast with thee and the lady. It is a pleasure to converse with you both. When we have eaten and drunken I will ask thee to show me thy lazarette, and I will choose a chest, and we will then exchange the men.”
“Give me your hand on it,” I cried, and my heart was swollen with delight; but the taking and lifting of that man’s hand and arm was like pumping out a ship.
We went on deck, and brought up a sailor out of the whale-boat to stand at the helm while Jimmy prepared breakfast. Before breakfast was served I took Captain Horsley into the lazarette and showed him the cases of silver.
“Do all those chests contain dollars?” he asked.
“All.”
He made no further remark until, after considering awhile, during which time his eyes roamed shrewdly over the chests, he pointed to one of the biggest, and said: