when we were alone together in his cabin
after the fight, "henceforth I look upon you as my comrade as well as
my secretary; but do not, on that account, believe I shall be less
strict to enforce discipline upon you equally with all under my
command. At the great distance we are from home it behoves some one to
be in authority, if we are ever to see the Netherlands again. Promise
me then to set a curb upon your temper, and when Van Luck is able to
resume his duties after the drubbing you have given him, let there be
no bad blood between you."

I gave my promise willingly, and I can honestly say that, on, my part,
I bore no grudge against Van Luck, nor against any man of the ship's
company, though I could see that Van Luck would never forgive me for
having bested him, nor could I disguise from myself the fact that there
were some among the crew who sided with him.

CHAPTER VII

THE SPIRIT OF DISCORD

The days which followed my fight with Van Luck were full of anxiety for
those who were responsible for the safety of the ship. It was evident
that a spirit of discord had begun to show itself among the crew, which
threatened a mutiny. Janstins, the pilot, whom we knew to be
trustworthy, did not attempt to hide the peril that was brewing in the
forecastle.

"Those lubbers for'ard," he said when Hartog, he, and I sat together
one evening in the cabin, "will make trouble if they can. They are a
pig-headed lot, and a dozen apiece at the gratings would do them no
harm. But while they outnumber us, as they do, three to one, we must
avoid a quarrel. Besides, if we got the upper hand, and drove the scum
into the sea, we'd be undermanned for the voyage, and unable to weather
the first storm that came upon us."

"What is it they want?" asked Hartog impatiently. "Am I a wizard to
conjure gold and jewels out of the wilderness? They knew the chances
they took when they set sail, and will have their wages paid in full,
whereas I shall receive nothing but abuse, so that in this they are in
better case than I, their captain."

"Granted you are right," answered Janstins, "yet these dunderheads will
not view the matter with such common sense. They believe that gold and
jewels are to be found, but we have not the wit to find them."

"Who has told them this?" demanded Hartog with a frown. "They must have
a leader amongst them whom we wot not of. If I find him I'll send him
adrift upon the sea to look for the treasure he speaks