ill admit, if
you will give the matter a moment's consideration. It is not your fault
or mine that you and I do not occupy the enviable position in life to
which you have just referred; it is the fault, if fault there be, of our
ancestors. They did not happen to be money-getters, and therefore, if
we wish to enjoy the advantages attendant upon the possession of a
fortune, large or small, we must get the fortune for ourselves. Just
look at the question for a moment from the millionaire's point of view.
If you happened to possess a fortune would you consider it fair or just
that you should be called upon to divide it evenly with everybody worse
off than yourself? For that, I fancy, is the idea you have in your
mind."

This was another poser which Williams evidently found it wholly
impossible to answer. He hung his head in deep and perplexed thought
for some minutes, and at length said:

"It is quite impossible for me to argue with you, as I said before; but
the long and the short of it is this, we have made our plans, and we
intend to carry them out, right or wrong. But you need have no
apprehension for yourselves. We have no intention to prey upon private
individuals; and though we shall be obliged to land you on some spot
from which it will be impossible for you to escape, we will deliver up
to you the whole of your private property, and also furnish you with
means to protect yourselves and to preserve your lives, so far as we
have the power."

And without waiting to discuss the question further, the mutineer rose
from the table and beat a somewhat precipitate retreat.

"Had you any hope of convincing the fellow?" asked the doctor, when the
little party once more found themselves free to converse unreservedly.

"No, I cannot say I had," answered Gaunt; "but I thought I might so far
shake his purpose as to make him hesitate about his future plans, and so
give us a little more time in which to act. But it is evident enough
that he has no wish to be convinced; if, therefore, we are to do
anything we must make our arrangements speedily. Come on deck and have
a smoke, old fellow."

The ladies had no fancy for being left alone just then; the entire
party, therefore, children included, adjourned to the poop. Williams
was then standing in the waist talking to the boatswain, to whom he
appeared to be giving some instructions; but on observing the movements
of the passengers he signed to Ned, who was standing nea