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"Want's us to stand by him, I reckon," the mate replied. "Can we do it without danger in this seaway, hey?" demanded Thompson. "Answer me that. How the devil can we do anything for a fellow in this seaway, when we might be rammed by him and sink ourselves?" "We'll stand by that ship as long as she's above water," answered Trunnell, quietly. Then came a sudden change upon the captain.
At seven bells the "doctor" managed to get some fire started in the galley, and all hands had a drink of hot coffee. This was cheering, and Trunnell soon had the watch hard at work getting out new canvas from the lazaretto aft. The main deck was getting safer, and although she took the sea heavily now and then, she was no longer like a half-tide rock in a strong current.
"Trunnell has been took off, fer sure. I don't mind stickin' aboard th' bleedin' hooker if there was a chanst to get th' salvage; but no fear o' that while Andrews is here. He'll block any argument to divvy up. Seems as we might even get down under her bilge durin' this spell av weather, an' see where th' leak is located. 'Tis a butt started, most like.
A step sounded on the companion ladder, and the skipper came on deck. "Pretty dark, hey?" he said, and his quick eyes took in both Trunnell and myself comprehensively. "Looks like we might have a spell o' weather if the wind keeps fallin'," observed Trunnell.
"You can take a drink before you go. Steward! Ahoy there, steward!" "Yessir," said that active mulatto, springing out of his cabin. "Yessir; I hears yo', cap'n." "What'll you have?" asked Thompson, addressing the mate. Trunnell scratched his big bushy head a moment, and then suggested that a bottle of the ginger pop which the steward had in the pantry would do for him.
Through it the black forecastle of the wreck showed above the sea. It was quite dark before the Pirate had come up with the wreck. The skipper and Trunnell had gone below to their supper, and I had charge of the deck, with orders to heave the ship into the wind when we came abreast, and sing out for the mate to man the boat.
"You have just a few seconds less than a minute to get that fellow forrads and out of the way," he said slowly, as if counting his words, I made no movement to drag the ruffian away, for at that minute I would have offered no objection whatever to seeing the skipper make a target of him; but Trunnell and the sailor Jim instantly seized Andrews, while he cursed the captain and dared him shoot.
The yard came down by the run as I gained the top, owing to Trunnell having cast off everything, trusting that we might get some stops on the sail before too late. I heard the skipper roaring out orders to "hurry there," followed by curses at the slowness of the work. He appeared to realize now what was happening, and it sobered him.
"Rolling," said the captain of the Pirate, "hadn't you better go home and tell Trunnell he wants you? Seems to me you'll have a long row back in the hot sun. I'd ask you all aboard, but this ship ain't mine. She belongs to a friend who owes me a little due, see? Now be a sensible little fellow. Rolling, and go back nicely, or I'll have to do some target practice, or else cut this rope.
No decent sailor would ship in the craft if he could help it." Trunnell gave me a queer look. Then he saw I meant no offence and shook his great head again. "Did it ever occur to ye that ye had a duty to do in the world beside huntin' soft jobs?" "Certainly not that of hunting hard ones," I answered, fastening my belt. Trunnell's face underwent a change.
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