Give me the two thousand
that's yours, and I'll give you a passage to the coast,
and land every manjack of you in 'Frisco with fifteen
pounds in his pocket, and the captain here with twenty-
five."
Goddedaal laid down his head on the table like a man
ashamed.
"You're joking," said Wicks, purple in the face.
"Am I?" said Trent. "Please yourselves. You're under
no compulsion. This ship's mine, but there's that
Brooks Island don't belong to me, and you can lay there
till you die for what I care."
"It's more than your blooming brig's worth!" cried
Wicks.
"It's my price anyway," returned Trent.
"And do you mean to say you would land us there to
starve?" cried Tommy.
Captain Trent laughed the third time. "Starve? I defy
you to," said he. "I'll sell you all the provisions
you want at a fair profit."
"I beg your pardon, sir," said Mac, "but my case is by
itself I'm working me passage; I got no share in that
two thousand pounds, nor nothing in my pockut; and I'll
be glad to know what you have to say to me?"
"I ain't a hard man," said Trent; "that shall make no
difference.
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