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They were unanimous upon one point, which was that after Ralli's remark to Dale in the morning, and the espionage which it seemed to suggest it would be most unwise for any of the male portion of the party to visit the cave during the day. Henceforward their visits there would have to be as few and far between as possible, and such visits as were unavoidable must be made during the night.
Lance had never removed his glance for a single instant from Ralli's face since the commencement of the conversation; and he was physiognomist enough to detect the signs of a fear almost approaching to panic in the countenance of the Greek; he knew therefore that his bold guess had not been very far from the truth; and he continued to puff his cigar with all his wonted insouciance as he waited calmly for the reply to his interrogation.
"She ought to be pretty well used to it by this time. Only a tar. It ought to be Ralli's answer about the new rivets. . . . Great Heavens!" Hitchcock jumped to his feet. "What is it?" said the senior, and took the form. "That's what Mother Gunga thinks, is it," he said, reading. "Keep cool, young'un. We've got all our work cut out for us. Let's see.
This fellow will no longer give any orders; he will be only a common workman; he will obey you in future, or you will freshen his way with a rope's- end. You understand?" "Ay, ay," answered Dickinson, "I understands yer, Ralli, and I'll do it too, never fear," with a scowl at Lance for Ralli's benefit.
And as sailors are very much like sheep where one jumps the rest jump also they had not much difficulty in arranging for a general demonstration of popular disapproval in the event of Ralli's attempting the threatened indignity.
Captain Staunton, upon this, hurried back for his coat, and rejoined Lance just as the party was on the point of embarking in the boat. As the men propelled the craft swiftly across the bay Lance related in a loud tone to the skipper Ralli's behaviour during the morning, and his threat.
I may as well take these," as his eye fell upon a brace of revolvers in Ralli's belt. He withdrew the weapons, hastily examined them by the light of the lamp to ascertain whether they were loaded or no, found that they were; and then, repeating his injunctions as to rapidity of action, he slipped the pistols one into each pocket, opened the door, and disappeared in the darkness.
But there's me and Tom Poole and two or three more we're going to hold out to it that you did the best you could for the poor chap; and that if it hadn't ha' been for Ralli's own obstinacy the man wouldn't never have been hurt at all. And, however the thing goes, you may depend upon me to give you timely warning." "Thank you, Dickinson," said Captain Staunton.
"Ralli's taken a mortal dislike to you all, and 'specially to Mr Evelin, sorry I am to say so, and he just hates to be dictated to. Now, whatever you want, just let Mr Evelin tell him he ought to do the opposite of it, and, take my word for it, he'll just go and do exactly what he thinks you don't want him to; he'll do it out of sheer contrariness.
This point being settled, the next question to be decided was how they were to set about the collection of the precious metal; for it was obvious that any attempt to absent themselves from their daily attendance at the shipyard would not only excite suspicion, but it might also provoke a very unpleasant manifestation of active hostility on Ralli's part.
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