TREASURE ISLAND
And, again dodging the boom, I ran to the colour lines, handed down their cursed black flag, and chucked it overboard.
"God save the king!" said I, waving my cap; "and there 's an end to Captain Silver!"
He watched me keenly and slyly, his chin all the while on his breast.
"I reckon," he said at last—"I reckon, Cap'n Hawkins, you'll kind of want to get ashore, now. S'pose we talks."
"Why, yes," says I, "with all my heart, Mr. Hands. Say on." And I went back to my meal with a good appetite.
"This man," he began, nodding feebly at the corpse—"O'Brien were his name—a rank Irelander—this man and me got the canvas on her, meaning for to sail her back. Well, he 's dead now, he is—as dead as bilge; and who 's to sail this ship, I don't see. Without I gives you a hint, you ain't that man, as far 's I can tell. Now, look here, you gives me food and drink, and a old scarf or ankecher to tie my wound up, you do; and I 'll tell you how to sail her; and that's about square all round, I take it."
"I'll tell you one thing," says I: "I'm not going back to Captain Kidd's anchorage. I mean to get into North Inlet, and beach her quietly there."
"To be sure you did," he cried. "Why, I ain't sich an infernal lubber, after all. I can see, can't I? I've tried my fling, I have, and I've lost, and it 's you has the wind of me. North Inlet? Why, I haven't no ch'ice, not I! I 'd help you sail her up to Execution Dock, by thunder! so I would."
[192]
