he might go on board; and the pain in his
hands and feet was very great when the bonds were unloosed; and when
he was on board they bound him again, but not so tightly, and led him
down into a cabin, close and dirty, where a foul and smoky lamp burnt.
They bade him sit in a corner. The low ill-smelling place was very
grievous to David, and he thought with a sore heart of his clean cold
cave, and his bed of fern. The men seemed to take no further heed of
him, and went about preparing a meal. There seemed to be little
friendliness among them; they spoke shortly and scowled upon each
other; and David divined that there had been some dispute aboard, and
that they were ill-content. There was little discipline, the men going
and coming when they would.

Before long a meal was prepared; some sort of a stew with a rich
strong smell, that seemed very gross and foul to David, who had been
used so long to his simple fare. The men came in and took from the
dish what they desired; and a large jar was opened, which from its
fierce smell seemed to contain a hot and fiery spirit; and that it was
so David could easily discern, from the flushed faces and louder talk
of the men, which soon became mingled with a gross merriment. The old
man brought a mess of the food to David, who shook his head smiling.
Then the other, with more kindness than David had expected, asked if
he would have bread; and fetched him a large piece, unbinding his
hands for a little, that he might eat. Then he offered him some of the
spirit; but David asked for water, which the old man gave him, binding
his hands after he had drunk, with a certain gentleness.

Presently the old man, after he too had eaten, came and sate down
beside David; and in his broken talk seemed to wish to win him, if he
could, to join them more willingly. He spoke of the pleasant life they
lived, and of the wealth that they made, though he said not how they
came by it. He told him that he had seen some of it hidden that day,
which they had done for greater security, so that, if the ship should
be cast away, the men might have some of their spoil waiting for them;
and David understood from him, though he had but few words to explain
it, that it had been that which had caused a strife among them. For
they had come by the treasure very hardly, and they had lost some of
the crew in so doing it--and some of the men had desired to share it,
and have done with the sea for ever; but that it had been