“Well,” continued Trent, making bread pills and looking hard at the middle of the table, “I’m glad of course to be able to give you a passage to ’Frisco; one sailor-man should help another, that’s my motto.  But when you want a thing in this world, you generally always have to pay for it.”  He laughed a brief, joyless laugh.  “I have no idea of losing by my kindness.”

“We have no idea you should, captain,” said Wicks.

“We are ready to pay anything in reason,” added Carthew.

At the words, Goddedaal, who sat next to him, touched him with his elbow, and the two mates exchanged a significant look.  The character of Captain Trent was given and taken in that silent second.

“In reason?” repeated the captain of the brig.  “I was waiting for that.  Reason’s between two people, and there’s only one here.  I’m the judge; I’m reason.  If you want an advance you have to pay for it”—­he hastily corrected himself—­“If you want a passage in my ship, you have to pay my price,” he substituted.  “That’s business, I believe.  I don’t want you; you want me.”

“Well, sir,” said Carthew, “and what IS your price?”

The captain made bread pills.  “If I were like you,” he said, “when you got hold of that merchant in the Gilberts, I might surprise you.  You had your chance then; seems to me it’s mine now.  Turn about’s fair play.  What kind of mercy did you have on that Gilbert merchant?” he cried, with a sudden stridency.  “Not that I blame you.  All’s fair in love and business,” and he laughed again, a little frosty giggle.

“Well, sir?” said Carthew, gravely.

“Well, this ship’s mine, I think?” he asked sharply.

“Well, I’m of that way of thinking meself,” observed Mac.

“I say it’s mine, sir!” reiterated Trent, like a man trying to be angry.  “And I tell you all, if I was a driver like what you are, I would take the lot.  But there’s two thousand pounds there that don’t belong to you, and I’m an honest man.  Give me the two thousand that’s yours, and I’ll give you a passage to the coast, and land every man-jack 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?”