Without a word to his companions the Frenchman left the cabin, but once outside he bounded up the companionway to the deck with the speed of a squirrel. Nor was he an instant too soon, for as he emerged from below he saw the figure of a man disappearing forward.
“Hey there, you!” he cried. “Come back here.”
The mucker turned, a sulky scowl upon his lowering countenance, and the second officer saw that it was the fellow who had given Ward such a trimming the first day out.
“Oh, it’s you is it, Byrne?” he said in a not unpleasant tone. “Come to my quarters a moment, I want to speak with you,” and so saying he wheeled about and retraced his way below, the seaman at his heels.
“My man,” said Theriere, once the two were behind the closed door of the officer’s cabin, “I needn’t ask how much you overheard of the conversation in the captain’s cabin. If you hadn’t overheard a great deal more than you should you wouldn’t have been so keen to escape detection just now. What I wanted to say to you is this. Keep a close tongue in your head and stick by me in what’s going to happen in the next few days. This bunch,” he jerked his thumb in the direction of the captain’s cabin, “are fixing their necks for halters, an’ I for one don’t intend to poke my head through any noose of another man’s making. There’s more in this thing if it’s handled right, and handled without too many men in on the whack-up than we can get out of it if that man Divine has to be counted in. I’ve a plan of my own, an’ it won’t take but three or four of us to put it across.
“You don’t like Ward,” he continued, “and you may be almighty sure that Mr. Ward ain’t losing any sleep nights over love of you. If you stick to that bunch Ward will do you out of your share as sure as you are a foot high, an’ the chances are that he’ll do you out of a whole lot more besides—as a matter of fact, Byrne, you’re a mighty poor life insurance risk right now, with a life expectancy that’s pretty near minus as long as Bender Ward is on the same ship with you. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Aw,” said Billy Byrne, “I ain’t afraid o’ that stiff. Let him make any funny crack at me an’ I’ll cave in a handful of slats for him—the piker.”
“That’s all right too, Byrne,” said Theriere. “Of course you can do it if anybody can, provided you get the chance; but Ward isn’t the man to give you any chance. There may be shooting necessary within the next day or so, and there’s nothing to prevent Ward letting you have it in the back, purely by accident; and if he don’t do it then there’ll be all kinds of opportunities for it before any of us ever see a white man’s port again. He’ll get you, Byrne; he’s that kind.
“Now, with my proposition you’ll be shut of Ward, Skipper Simms, and Divine. There’ll be more money in it for you, an’ you won’t have to go around expecting a bullet in the small of your back every minute. What do you say? Are you game, or shall I have to go back to Skipper Simms and Ward and tell them that I caught you eavesdropping?”
“Oh, I’m game,” said Billy Byrne, “if you’ll promise me a square deal on the divvy.”
The Frenchman extended his hand.
“Let’s shake on it,” he said.
Billy took the proffered palm in his.
“That’s a go,” he said; “but hadn’t you better wise me to wot’s doin’?”
“Not now,” said Theriere, “someone might overhear just as you did. Wait a bit until I have a better opportunity, and I’ll tell you all there is to know. In the meantime think over who’d be the best men to let into this with us—we’ll need three or four more besides ourselves. Now go on deck about your duties as though nothing had happened, and if I’m a bit rougher than usual with you you’ll understand that it’s to avert any possible suspicion later.”
“I’m next,” said Billy Byrne.
IV
Piracy
By dusk the trim little brigantine was scudding away toward the west before a wind that could not have suited her better had it been made to order at the special behest of the devil himself to speed his minions upon their devil’s work.
All hands were in the best of humor. The crew had forgotten their recent rancor at not having been permitted shore leave at Honolulu in the expectancy of adventure in the near future, for there was that in the atmosphere of the Halfmoon which proclaimed louder than words the proximity of excitement, and the goal toward which they had been sailing since they left San Francisco.
Skipper Simms and Divine were elated at the luck which had brought them to Honolulu in the nick of time, and at the success of Theriere’s mission at that port. They had figured upon a week at least there before the second officer of the Halfmoon could ingratiate himself sufficiently into the goodwill of the Hardings to learn their plans, and now they were congratulating themselves upon their acumen in selecting so fit an agent as the Frenchman for the work he had handled so expeditiously and so well.
Ward was pleased that he had not been forced to prolong the galling masquerade of valet to his inferior officer. He was hopeful, too, that coming events would bring to the fore an opportunity to satisfy the vengeance he had inwardly sworn
