aside to light a cigar.

'What else is there?' asked the other, with a pang of undefinable alarm.

'I'm coming to that,' said Davis, and then paused a little. 'See here,'
he began, holding out his cigar between his finger and thumb, 'suppose
you figure up what this'll amount to. You don't catch on? Well, we
get two months' advance; we can't get away from Papeete--our creditors
wouldn't let us go--for less; it'll take us along about two months
to get to Sydney; and when we get there, I just want to put it to you
squarely: What the better are we?'

'We're off the beach at least,' said Herrick.

'I guess there's a beach at Sydney,' returned the captain; 'and I'll
tell you one thing, Mr Herrick--I don't mean to try. No, SIR! Sydney
will never see me.'

'Speak out plain,' said Herrick.

'Plain Dutch,' replied the captain. 'I'm going to own that schooner.
It's nothing new; it's done every year in the Pacific. Stephens stole a
schooner the other day, didn't he? Hayes and Pease stole vessels all
the time. And it's the making of the crowd of us. See here--you think of
that cargo. Champagne! why, it's like as if it was put up on purpose. In
Peru we'll sell that liquor off at the pier-head, and the schooner after
it, if we can find a fool to buy her; and then light out for the mines.
If you'll back me up, I stake my life I carry it through.'

'Captain,' said Herrick, with a quailing voice, 'don't do it!'

'I'm desperate,' returned Davis. 'I've got a chance; I may never get
another. Herrick, say the word; back me up; I think we've starved
together long enough for that.'

'I can't do it. I'm sorry. I can't do it. I've not fallen as low as
that,' said Herrick, deadly pale.

'What did you say this morning?' said Davis. 'That you couldn't beg?
It's the one thing or the other, my son.'

'Ah, but this is the jail!' cried Herrick. 'Don't tempt me. It's the
jail.'

'Did you hear what the skipper said on board that schooner?' pursued the
captain. 'Well, I tell you he talked straight. The French have let us
alone for a long time; It can't last longer; they've got their eye on
us; and as sure as you live, in three weeks you'll be in jail whatever
you do. I read it in the consul's face.'

'You forget, captain,' said the young man. 'There is another way. I can
die; and to say truth, I think I should have died three years ago.'

The captain folded his arms and looked the other in the face. 'Yes,'
said he, 'yes, you can cut your