"And how'd stickin the Gentleman elp us?" grumbled the brutal Toadie.
"I'd stuck him fast enough if I'd twigged that!"
Fat George leaned forward.
"What's the reward out agin him?--Thousand guineas, ain't it?"
"Go on!--We'd never ha took him alive. You know his hackle."
"Ah!" interposed the fat man, "but what d'ye think his corpse'd ha
been worth to the British Government? him _and_ the papers on
him, to say nothin o pickins for pore men, what nobody needn't know
nothin about--them rings, that pin, and the bundle o notes in his
tail-pocket." He combed his fingers through his locks. "What'd that ha
been worth? I'll tell you." He wagged a fat finger. "A free pardon to
h'every man h'all round, a free pass back to Boulon--"
"And the thanks o Parlyment for what we done to the crew o the
_Curlew_!" piped Bandy.
"It's God's truth, I'm talkin!" screamed the fat man. "And there's the
man what stood between you and it!" He flung a fat hand at Red Beard.
The giant turned.
"What, sell him!" he drawled. "Sell the man that made you; that
trusted you; that never turned his back on a rat yet--much less a
pal." He spat into the sea curling at his feet. "What was it old
Diamond says?--'We're all--traitors,' says he, poor old horse; 'but we
are men, only Fat George.
Pages:
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133