person unconcerned in the result. And here, I daresay, his
bravado carried him too far and prejudiced his case. At least, after a
cast or two back and forward, opinion settled finally against him. It's
possible he hoped to repeat the business of the pirate ship, and be
himself, perhaps, on hard enough conditions, elected leader; and things
went so far that way that Mountain actually threw out the proposition.
But the rock he split upon was Hastie. This fellow was not well liked,
being sour and slow, with an ugly, glowering disposition, but he had
studied some time for the Church at Edinburgh College, before
ill-conduct had destroyed his prospects, and he now remembered and
applied what he had learned. Indeed, he had not proceeded very far, when
the Master rolled carelessly upon one side, which was done (in
Mountain's opinion) to conceal the beginnings of despair upon his
countenance. Hastie dismissed the most of what they had heard as nothing
to the matter: what they wanted was the treasure. All that was said of
Harris might be true, and they would have to see to that in time. But
what had that to do with the treasure? They had heard a vast of words;
but the truth was just this, that Mr. Durie was damnably frightened and
had several times run off. Here he was--whether caught or come back was
all one to Hastie: the point was to make an end of the business. As for
the talk of deposing and electing captains, he hoped they were all free
men and could attend their own affairs. That was dust flung in their
eyes, and so was the proposal to fight Harris. "He shall fight no one in
this camp, I can tell him that," said Hastie. "We had trouble enough to
get his arms away from him, and we should look pretty fools to give them
back again. But if it's excitement the gentleman is after, I can supply
him with more than perhaps he cares about. For I have no intention to
spend the remainder of my life in these mountains; already I have been
too long; and I propose that he should immediately tell us where that
treasure is, or else immediately be shot. And there," says he, producing
his weapon, "there is the pistol that I mean to use."

"Come, I call you a man," cries the Master, sitting up and looking at
the speaker with an air of admiration.

"I didn't ask you to call me anything," returned Hastie; "which is it to
be?"

"That's an idle question," said the Master. "Needs must when the devil
drives. The truth is we are within easy walk o