ice.

"Mind, Betsey," cried Cap'n Jack, "whether you tell me or no, we'll vind
out. Ef you've eed away they dreckshuns, we'll vind um, mind that!"

"You've zaid zo afore," sneered Betsey.

"'Ave us? Zo we 'ave," replied Cap'n Jack, "but I be a religious man. I
want to trait my relaashuns fair, I do; everybody that do knaw me, do
knaw that, doan't 'em, Cap'n Billy? An' Billy is a religious man, too;
hes religious experience es a powerful sermon. Well, I've talked oal
soarts of ways 'bout that treasure, Betsey--I 'ave. I've zaid I doan't
bleeve in et, zo I 'ave. But wot then? Well, I'm a-goin' to vind et!"

"Aw, aw!" chuckled Betsey.

"I'm a man to my word, zo's Billy. Whenever I've zaid a thing I've done
it."

"Aw, tha's ev et es et. I've 'eerd you zay that any man who runned away
from your gang you'd kill. I've 'eerd you zay you'd do fur Jasper
Penninton. 'Ave 'ee, Jack Fraddam? Why, 'ee got off bootiful--jist
through a maid--iss, and went to say, and no one stopped un!"

"And why, Betsey, why? 'Cos I am a fond and lovin' vather, that's why.
Tamsin made a vool ov me, tha's why. I maade a mistake in takin' Jasper
to Kynance, 'cos Tamsin got to like un. Well, I lowed un to git away. I
promist Tamsin that while he kipt his tongue 'atween hes teeth I'd laive
un go. But laive un tell things, laive un tell anybody where our caaves
be, laive un split 'bout other things he do know--well!" and Cap'n Jack
grunted significantly.

"Aw, aw," sneered Betsey, "he strangled Israel Barnicoat, and thrawed
the lantern ovver the cliff. An' ther' was no wreck that night. Aw, aw!
You be a man, you be!"

"A merciful, pious man, tha's wot I be. But doan't 'ee laugh, Betsey. Do
'ee think I dunnaw that Jasper landed in Fammuth to-day? He's watched, I
tell 'ee."

At this the sweat streamed out over every part of my body, and I
hardened my muscles to fight for dear life. I felt that Cap'n Jack's was
no vain threat, and that I owed my life to Tamsin.

"Where es a now, then?" queried Betsey.

"He's lyin' luff in Fammuth town, my deear; but 'ee must be very
careful."

At this I breathed more freely again.

"I'm a kind man," continued Cap'n Jack; "I've bin kind to you, Betsey. I
knaw that ef you've got they dreckshuns you've kipt 'em for Eli. But,
Betsey, my deear, 'ee caan't do nothin' by hisself. We'll share fair,
Betsey; I'll give my Bible oath to that."

"I taake no noatice ov yur Bible oaths," snarled Betsey, "but I knaw
you'd