robably enough,
since the cards are Spanish, as told by their picturing.

Those occupying the forecastle now have something on their minds more
important than card-playing: a question of money; but not money to be
made in that way. What they are thinking about, and talking of, is the
gold-dust in the cabin-lockers; not how it is to be got out of them, but
how it shall be distributed after it is out.

This is not the first time the subject has been before them. There has
been talk of it all that day; though only between them in twos, and
informally. Since finding out how things stood, and especially after
his confab with the first mate, Striker, as promised, has been sounding
his shipmates, one after another. He has communicated his purpose to
all, and had their approval of it--the four Spaniards excepted. These
he has not yet approached; but this night intends doing so--as the
others insist that an immediate understanding be arrived at, and the
thing definitely settled.

The five are now waiting till those on the watch, not required for
deck-duty, come below. All of them have had intimation they will be
wanted in the forecastle; and as the night is fine, with no occasion for
changing sails or other occupation, only the helmsman need absent
himself from a muster, whose summons to most of the second watch has
appeared a little strange.

They obey it, notwithstanding; and after a while the two sailors come
down--the nondescripts without name; though one goes by the sobriquet of
"Old Tarry," the other having had bestowed upon him the equally
distinctive, but less honourable, appellation of "Slush."

Shortly after, the second mate, Padilla, makes his appearance, along
with him Velarde; the former a man who has seen some forty winters,
rugged in frame, with bronzed complexion, and features forbidding, as
any that ever belonged to freebooters; the latter in this respect not so
unlike him, only younger, of a more slender frame, and less rude in
speech, as in manner.

Soon as setting foot on the forecastle's floor, Padilla, as an officer
of the ship, speaking in tone of authority, demands to know why they
have been summoned thither.

Striker, putting himself forward as the spokesman of the off-watch,
replies:

"Hadn't ye better sit down, master mate? The subjeck we're goin' to
discuss may take a start o' time an' it's as cheap sittin' as standin'.
Maybe ye won't mind joinin' us in a drink?"

Saying this, the e