left,
sure, and no mistake. Remember money's the root of all evil and thank yer
Lord ye ain't got none. There ain't no answer to this note; but if ye
feel like writing at enny time, address it to Bill Jackwell, care of
anybody at all what happens to be around at the time I'm there--see?
Some day we'll meet agin, fer I'm stuck on the sea and am going to buy a
boat and appoint ye as captain, only yer must cut yer hair and trim up
yer beard some. That's all."

Trunnell held the dollar bill he had unfurled from the note in his hand
and dropped the note back into the trunk.

"'Tis screwed fast wid nine big bolts to th' deck," said Chips, who had
examined the outfit carefully.

Trunnell scratched his bushy head thoughtfully for a moment longer. "Is
there any sech thing as a few men aboard this ship?" he asked.

I said I thought there was.

"Then man the boat and row, for the love o' God!" he roared, springing up
the companionway to the deck, leaving us to follow after him.

XXIV

When we reached the deck and looked after the brig, we found that we had
spent more time below than at first imagined. The _Shark_ was hull down
to the southward and evidently going along steadily at a three-knot rate.
The sun was almost on the horizon, and if we started after her, the
chances were that night would fall long before we could lessen the
distance between us materially. Sober appreciation of the affair took the
place of Trunnell's impetuosity.

"We'll niver see him agin," said Chips, hauling heavily on the
boat tackles.

"There's no use, Trunnell," I cried; "we can't catch that brig in a
whale-boat."

He was already hesitating, and stood scratching his shaggy beard.

"Avast heavin' on that tackle," he bawled. Then he turned to me. "You're
right, Rolling, we've lost a fortune an' the rascal too, but it ain't no
use making bigger fools of ourselves. Stow the boat. After that send
Johnson aft to me with a pair o' scissors. You an' Tom can set the
watches, fer ye see I'm capting of her now. Ye might say, on the side
like, that the first burgoo eater what comes along the weather side o'
the poop while I'm on deck will go over the rail. There's a-goin' to be
some discipline aboard the hooker, or I'll--well, there ain't no tellin'
just what I won't do. I'm capting o' this here ship, an' ye might jest as
well muster the men aft to hear the news."

Then he disappeared down the companion aft, and I sent Johnson to him
with