"Oak.u.m, if you have a spark of manly feeling in you!" cried Dutch.

"Ain't got a spark, Mister Dutch Pugh. It was put out that day of the fight."

"You scoundrel!" cried the captain.

"Same to you, captain," said Oak.u.m, coolly. "Now then, gov'nor, what do you say? Is it to be two hundred, or is the proposal off?"

"I'll give you the two hundred," said Laure, with flashing eyes, for he knew that Oak.u.m would be invaluable to him, and very likely bring Rolls and Lennie over--the three being the best sailors in the ship.

"And 'bout grog?" said Oak.u.m.

"As much as you like when the work's done," said Laure.

"And 'bacco?"

"Of course."

"And I ain't to be a common sailor?"

"No, under me you shall have command of the ship, as far as navigation goes."

"Then I'm on," said Sam Oak.u.m, giving his leg a slap, after a glance at the armed men on one side and his captive superiors on the other.

There was a murmur of dissatisfaction from the captain and the others at this secession, and Oak.u.m turned upon them sharply.

"What are you a growling about?" he exclaimed, throwing off his former tones of respect. "You can't spect a man to stick to you always. Your game's up, his is on.--I'm going on his side. Why not? I'm a pore man, and I shall be a pore one if I don't make some tin this trip."

"You're quite right, my lad," said Laure, slapping him on the shoulder, and then turning a malignant look on his prisoners.

"One must know which way his bread's b.u.t.tered," growled Sam. "Say, my lads," he continued, to Rolls and Lennie, "you can go down and be boxed up under hatches if you like, only if I was you I should say to the new skipper, 'Give's twenty of them bars a piece, and we'll stick to you to the end.'"

"I'll give you twenty ingots a piece, my lads," said Laure. "Will you come over?"

"I'm a-going to do just the same as Master Oak.u.m does," said Lennie.

"I'm on too," growled the other, with what sounded a good deal like a curse.

"That's good. Step over here then," said the Cuban. "You are free men."

There was another angry murmur from the prisoners, as they saw their party lessened by three; but there was a greater trial in store for them, for just then Oak.u.m turned sharp round on old Rasp, who was taking snuff viciously as he leaned back and looked on.

"I say, old beeswax," said Oak.u.m, "now's your time to make your bargain.

You're a fool if you stop there."

"For heaven's sake, Rasp, don't listen to him," cried Mr Parkley.

"What have you got to do with it?" snarled Rasp, angrily. "He says right. Your game's up, and if we're a-going diving again, I may just as well be paid for it as work for nowt."

"Come, then," said the Cuban, whose face flushed.

Rasp took a couple of steps forward, and the Cuban met him.

"What'll you make it if I come and dive for you and get all the rest of the treasure? You can't work it proper without me, so I tell you."

"I'll give you the same as Oak.u.m," said the Cuban eagerly.

"Same as him!" snarled Rasp, "and him a common sailor. How are you going to get your treasure. I won't dive?"

"With this," said Laure, tapping his revolver.

"Not out o' me, you can't," said the old fellow, giving a poke at an imaginary fire. "If I says as I won't dive, pistols couldn't make me-- there."

"We shall see about that," said Laure, sharply.

"There, I don't want to fight," said Rasp, to Mr Parkley's great astonishment, for he had looked upon the old diver as truthfulness itself. "Here's the plunder, and there's no call to quarrel over it. I tell you what: say ten per cent, on all we get, and I'm your man."

"Ten per cent!" exclaimed Laure.

"Well, you'll save by it," said the old fellow. "Shan't I work the harder, and get all the more?"

"There's my hand upon it," said the Cuban; and they shook hands, while Mr Parkley uttered a low groan, and Dutch's eyes glittered with rage.

"That will do," said the Cuban, who could ill conceal his triumph. "Now then, down below with you, captain, and you my clever adventurers. You have played with me, you see, and your cards are all trumped. Now, take my advice and wait patiently till you are wanted, for if you try any tricks against me, the stakes may mean your lives."

All had gone below except Dutch and Mr Parkley, who turned round and addressed their renegade followers.

"As for you, Rasp," exclaimed Mr Parkley, "if anyone had sworn to me you could be such a scoundrel, I would have called him a liar."

"You keep a civil tongue in your head," snarled Rasp. "I worked faithful for you, and you made your money. Now it's my turn. You'll have to work, and dive too--d'yer hear, and I'm going to make the money."

The Cuban looked on curiously as these exchanges took place, and his face flushed with pleasure as he saw Dutch turn upon Oak.u.m, just as he was cutting himself a fresh plug of tobacco with his great clasp knife.

"You cowardly old traitor," cried Dutch; and, unable to contain himself, he caught the old sailor by the throat and shook him violently.

This treatment seemed to rouse the old fellow into a state of ungovernable pa.s.sion, for, giving way in the surprise of the moment, he was driven back against the cover of the cabin hatch, but, recovering himself directly, with a savage oath he raised his knife and struck Dutch Pugh a fearful blow full in the chest, and the young man staggered back along the deck.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

OAk.u.m'S MESSENGER.

Sam Oak.u.m followed Dutch as he staggered back, his knife entangled in the loose jacket he wore, and, dragging it furiously out, he was going to strike again, when a couple of the sailors seized his arm, and, frowning and swearing, he allowed himself to be held back, while, panting and white with rage, Dutch exclaimed--

"Coward, as well as traitor, you will get your reward!"

"Here, let go, will you?" cried Sam, furiously, making a desperate effort to get free, but the men held on, and Laure interposed--

"Let him go, Oak.u.m, let him go," he said, smiling with satisfaction.