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through Flint s diatribe.
 My duty, Master Ormerod.And Master Corlaer, too. Like old times,
ain t it, gentlemen, all of us together? I hopes as how ye ll overlook
my boldness, Cap n Murray, but I ha a word to speak to Cap n Flint
fo c sle council, sir.
My great-uncle took another pinch of snuff.
 Ah, yes, he observed dryly.  I recall that aboard the Walrus the
fo c sle council must be heard. I trust that you can instil some com-
mon sense into your captain s head. He hath need of it, Silver.
Flint glared, but Silver snatched whatever reply he intended out of
his mouth.
 Thank  ee, sir. You just let me an Cap n Flint ha a word in pri-
vate, and maybe we ll see a way out o this tangle.
 Suit yourself, said my great-uncle with a shrug.
Silver pulled his forelock, and his large face lighted up as if a con-
siderable favor had been conferred.
 We won t be no time at all, sir. Thank  ee kindly.
He put his free hand under Flint s elbow, and I marveled to see
PORTO BELLO GOLD 195
the ease with which he was able to bend his captain to his will.
Accustomed as I was to Murray s autocratic discipline, it was a reve-
lation to establish contact again with the free-and-easy spirit of the
Walrus, where any man might become commander if he was able to
muster a majority of the fo c sle to raise cutlasses in his behalf. Flint
obediently followed his quartermaster to the sta b d side of the poop,
and there they laid their heads close and collogued for a quarter-glass,
Silver at first arguing and Flint resisting him.
 Silver is no man to let hard on four hundred thousand pounds
slip through his hands, I said.
 Andt maybe he says not to let eight hundred thousand pounds
get away, needer, commented Peter. Ja, I t ink so.
Murray nodded slowly.
 You are more like to be right than wrong, friend Peter. Of all the
Walrus people he hath the most acute intelligence.A choice knave!
Colonel O Donnell stalked back to us from the extremity of the
stern with Moira on his arm.
 Did ye put a flea in the rascal s ear, Murray? he demanded.  By
the Mass, I never thought to hear ye tolerate such impudence on your
own deck.
 I am no man for quarreling without an adequate end in sight,
returned my great-uncle. Never threaten unless you must, chevalier,
and then smite with a sure aim.
 Words! grumbled the Irishman.  Tis time we had a little action.
Moira disengaged herself from her father and came to stand betwixt
Peter and me.
 If there s to be more fighting, says she,  I will have a pistol and
cutlass and do my share. I ll not stand idly by to be shot at the way
I was on the Santissima Trinidad more by reason that if I must sail
with pirates I ll be preferring Captain Murray to the fellow yonder in
the red coat.
There was a high gallantry about her that drew a chuckle even
from Peter.
 Some time I take you to der wilderness country, andt we shoot
us bears andt scalp Injuns, he promised.
She clasped her hands.
196 PORTO BELLO GOLD
 I am all for that, Peter, she cried.  Sure, I d sooner fight Indians
than pirates. But see, Bob! There s the red-headed boy will be making
signals to you from the larboard ladder.
Darby McGraw s flaming top-knot projected just far enough above
the level of the deck to show his eyes and a hand that jerked mys-
teriously at me.
 Come up, Darby, I invited him.
But he shook his head vigorously, so I crossed to his side.
 What is ailing you? I asked.
 Sorra a trouble in the whole of creation, he returned in his rich
brogue.  But I d walk my two feet over the galley-stove as soon as
stand so near the old devil as yourself, Master Bob. My troth, he s the
terrible cruel feller, and him that ancient old he d oughter been waked
these many years past.
 He s no more to be feared than Flint, I answered, laughing.
 Ah, there s little ye know to be saying the like of that! exclaimed
Darby. With Flint  tis a blow and a curse and  take it or leave it! But
him! He d put the evil eye on the lot of us if the notion but came
into the head of him.
 I rather be his friend than his enemy, I admitted.  Do they fear
him so aboard the Walrus?
Darby squinted sideways at me.
 Whiles they fear him.And then again when the rum is flowing
But I ll be saying what maybe I ll be sorry for later. I see ye found the
elegant young maid that went to the Whale s Head with ye. My faith,
ain t she the pretty creature! Will she be a pirate, too?
 No more than Peter and me.
 Do ye tell me that same! And ye took her along with the treasure,
the lads do be saying below. That was the grand haul! But they say,
too, a good half of it ye buried on that island Long John do be always
singing about.
 So you have heard that! I cried.
 Troth, yes.They was telling Long John and me before he come up
to speak with Cap n Flint. God save us, who d think there was so
much money in the world? But here comes John and the cap n now.
I d better be skippin .
PORTO BELLO GOLD 197
He slid down the ladder as he spoke, and I rejoined the group
about my great-uncle. Flint strode across the deck, his face like a thun-
der-cloud. Silver, at his elbow, exhibited a countenance wreathed in
smiles.
 We ll divide what s below, said Flint abruptly.
 I rejoice that you have come to your senses, replied Murray.
Silver spoke up.
 He s a main jealous cap n, Cap n Flint is, sir. Allus has a lookout
for the interests o his crew. A kind o gardeen for us, ye might say.
But we re all mighty beholden to yourself for counting in the Walrus
same as the James; and speakin on behalf o the Walrus, I make bold
to say as we won t forget it, Cap n Murray, sir.
My great-uncle listened to this with the shadow of a smile on his
face.
 I thank you, Silver, he acknowledged blandly. I was confident you
would appreciate the situation. Will you divide at once, Flint?
Flint growled in his throat, then mastered his temper by a sub-
stantial effort.
 We ll appoint the usual committee o six to check over with your
men, Murray, he rasped. I ll send my boats to shift our portion.
And he turned on his heel. John Silver pulled his forelock and nod-
ded to all of us.
 Thank  ee kindly, Cap n Murray. My duty, sirs.And the young lady.
Mighty nice to ha a sweet, pretty face in the cabin, ain t it? Well, gen-
tlemen, there s no excuse now for any o us if we don t go home and
make them happy as we left for the sea. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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