第9章

He saw them enter the captain's cabin with the skipper, and then he saw Mr.Divine join them.Billy noted the haste displayed by the four and it set him to wondering.The scrap of conversation between Divine and Simms that he had overheard returned to him.He wanted to hear more, and as Billy was not handicapped by any overly refined notions of the ethics which frown upon eavesdropping he lost no time in transferring the scene of his labors to a point sufficiently close to one of the cabin ports to permit him to note what took place within.

What the mucker beard of that conversation made him prick up his ears.He saw that something after his own heart was doing--something crooked, and he wondered that so pusillanimous a thing as Divine could have a hand in it.It almost changed his estimate of the passenger of the Halfmoon.

The meeting broke up so suddenly that Billy had to drop to his knees to escape the observation of those within the cabin.As it was, Theriere, who had started to leave a second before the others, caught a fleeting glimpse of a face that quickly had been withdrawn from the cabin skylight as though its owner were fearful of detection.

Without a word to his companions the Frenchman left the cabin, but once outside he bounded up the companionway to the deck with the speed of a squirrel.Nor was he an instant too soon, for as he emerged from below he saw the figure of a man disappearing forward.

"Hey there, you!" he cried."Come back here."The mucker turned, a sulky scowl upon his lowering countenance, and the second officer saw that it was the fellow who had given Ward such a trimming the first day out.

"Oh, it's you is it, Byrne?" he said in a not unpleasant tone."Come to my quarters a moment, I want to speak with you," and so saying he wheeled about and retraced his way below, the seaman at his heels.

"My man," said Theriere, once the two were behind the closed door of the officer's cabin, "I needn't ask how much you overheard of the conversation in the captain's cabin.If you hadn't overheard a great deal more than you should you wouldn't have been so keen to escape detection just now.

What I wanted to say to you is this.Keep a close tongue in your head and stick by me in what's going to happen in the next few days.This bunch," he jerked his thumb in the direction of the captain's cabin, "are fixing their necks for halters, an' I for one don't intend to poke my head through any noose of another man's making.There's more in this thing if it's handled right, and handled without too many men in on the whack-up than we can get out of it if that man Divine has to be counted in.I've a plan of my own, an' it won't take but three or four of us to put it across.

"You don't like Ward," he continued, "and you may be almighty sure that Mr.Ward ain't losing any sleep nights over love of you.If you stick to that bunch Ward will do you out of your share as sure as you are a foot high, an' the chances are that he'll do you out of a whole lot more besides--as a matter of fact, Byrne, you're a mighty poor life insurance risk right now, with a life expectancy that's pretty near minus as long as Bender Ward is on the same ship with you.Do you understand what I mean?""Aw," said Billy Byrne, "I ain't afraid o' that stiff.Let him make any funny crack at me an' I'll cave in a handful of slats for him--the piker.""That's all right too, Byrne," said Theriere."Of course you can do it if anybody can, provided you get the chance; but Ward isn't the man to give you any chance.There may be shooting necessary within the next day or so, and there's nothing to prevent Ward letting you have it in the back, purely by accident; and if he don't do it then there'll be all kinds of opportunities for it before any of us ever see a white man's port again.He'll get you, Byrne, he's that kind.

"Now, with my proposition you'll be shut of Ward, Skipper Simms, and Divine.There'll be more money in it for you, an'

you won't have to go around expecting a bullet in the small of your back every minute.What do you say? Are you game, or shall I have to go back to Skipper Simms and Ward and tell them that I caught you eavesdropping?""Oh, I'm game," said Billy Byrne, "if you'll promise me a square deal on the divvy."The Frenchman extended his hand.

"Let's shake on it," he said.

Billy took the proffered palm in his.

"That's a go," he said; "but hadn't you better wise me to wot's doin'?""Not now," said Theriere, "someone might overhear just as you did.Wait a bit until I have a better opportunity, and I'll tell you all there is to know.In the meantime think over who'd be the best men to let into this with us--we'll need three or four more besides ourselves.Now go on deck about your duties as though nothing had happened, and if I'm a bit rougher than usual with you you'll understand that it's to avert any possible suspicion later.""I'm next," said Billy Byrne.