these ropes undone on the starboard side to let one o' my fins at
liberty I'll fight yer one hand."

"Hold you your tongue, fool."

"Shan't, so now then. Jest you have this rope undone and I'll take a
pair on you."

"Will you hold that tongue, or shall I cut it out?"

"I should just like to ketch you at it, yer sham make-believe English
sailor."

My head, at the risk of my white face being seen, was thrust over the
side of the top.

"Look here, you two, you are brought before me, the captain of this
ship, for me to see whether I am willing to let you off easy."

"Oh, you're the skipper, are yer?" said Barney, spitting on the deck.
"Well, yer don't look like it, messmet."

"Silence," shouted Jarette. "Now, look here, my lads, if I have you cut
loose and forgive you for giving us so much trouble and knocking your
mates about, will you join us and help us work the ship?"

"No!" roared Dumlow, "I'm blessed if I do."

"And you, Barney?"

"Same I says as my mate."

"Vairy good, then, my friends, we were going to offer you a happy life
and a share in our prize, but you will not take them, so we shall have
to pitch you both overboard."

"As Neb says, I should just like to ketch yer at it," roared Blane.

"Lookye here, Frenchy," cried Dumlow in his strange growl, "you make
these beggars loosen this here line, and I'll fight yer one hand."

"Will you join us, big idiot?" said Jarette, and I drew in my breath as
I wondered whether the two brave fellows would prove staunch, and if
they did, whether Jarette would dare to carry out his threat.

"No; course I won't, you ugly piratical frog-soup-eating Frenchy."

"Hit him in the mouth," said Jarette.

"You'd better!" roared Dumlow, raising a leg to kick the first man who
approached him, and now I started, for Walters spoke.

"Don't be fools, you two," he said; "Bob Hampton has joined us."

"Yer lie, yer young warmint," cried Dumlow; "Bob Hampton wouldn't be
such a sneak."

Walters winced at the man's words, but he pointed aft.

"Look," he said; "there he is at the wheel steering."

"Ahoy yonder!" roared Dumlow. "That theer arn't you, is it, Bob?"

"Me it is, messmet," said Hampton, coolly.

"Sure, messmet?"

"Ay. All right."

"Why, you arn't jyned 'em, have you, lad?" said Blane.

"Ay, I've jyned, lad," replied Hampton, and then--"Say, skipper, hadn't
I better keep her off a pynte or two?"

"Yes," shouted Jarette.

"Well, I'm blessed," growled