ening as you suggest; so
we need not discuss that point any farther, but may pass on to the next.
The question now is: Will you, or will you not, help us to find the
sort of island that we have in mind? No, no,"--as he saw that I was
about to refuse hotly--"do not decide in the negative too hurriedly;
take time to consider the matter, because it is a rather important one,
both to you and to us. It is important to us, because, if you should
decide in the negative, it will put us to all the trouble and
inconvenience of finding another navigator; and it is important to you,
because, if you should refuse, it will mean that, being opposed to us,
you must be got rid of, for we will have no enemies, secret or open,
among us; and I think that the best way to get rid of you, and at the
same time to guard against the possibility of your doing us a bad turn
in the future, will be to tie your hands and heels together, attach a
good heavy weight to your neck, and drop you overboard sometime in the
small hours when all the women and children are asleep, and cannot be
shocked or distressed at the sight.

"You see, we have considered this matter so thoroughly, and have so
completely made up our minds what we intend to do, that we cannot dream
of allowing the qualms of conscience of a mere lad like yourself to
stand in our way. If you had not been an expert navigator it would have
been a different affair altogether. We should have said nothing to you,
but should have put you ashore on one of these islands, had we chanced
to find them, or have exchanged you with some ship for a better
navigator; but you have proved your ability, and now you must either
throw in your lot with us, or--accept the alternative. Think it over,
my dear boy, and let me know your decision when you have fully made up
your mind. You will be able to do this all the more easily since, as
`the originator of this mad scheme', and the accepted leader of all on
board, it is my intention to take up my quarters in the cabin for the
remainder of our voyage."

So saying, Wilde rose and, bestowing upon me a friendly smile, made his
way down the poop ladder to the main deck; and a few minutes later I saw
the stewards helping him to transfer his belongings from the steerage to
the cabin.

CHAPTER FOUR.

WILDE EXPLAINS.

The boatswain, whose watch it now was, and who had been making a
pretence of superintending some job on the forecastle while Wilde was
talking