“You keep to work and never mind so much talk,” said Thirkle.  “If ye stand there that way, it’ll be morning before we get away.”

“I’m workin’, ain’t I?  Can’t a man stop to breathe, himself, I’d like to know?”

Thirkle made no reply, but went on running his thumb over the ends of the notes.  I stood and watched them, waiting for Petrak to stoop and take a sack.

“Yer goin’ to play fair with me—­ain’t ye, Thirkle?” whined Petrak, a trace of fear crossing his face.  “We’re in together, share and share alike now—­ain’t we, Thirkle?  I can ask that, can’t I?”

“Ye’ll get yer share, Reddy,” said Thirkle, smiling.

“That’s half—­ain’t it, Thirkle?  Ye mind what I done for ye with Bucky, don’t ye?”

“Aye, half of it, of course, Red.  Reef that jaw of yours now, lad, and clap on.  Don’t stand there like a Jew and wrangle over the loot.  Want to stop and count it now, lad?”

“Ye told Long Jim to do for me—­didn’t ye, Thirkle?” Petrak grinned, and his fingers twitched toward the butt of a pistol.  I knew what was in his mind.

“What’s that?” demanded Thirkle.  “Oh, run along now, Red, like a good chap, and get the gold stowed.  Didn’t I tell ye to get Long Jim, and didn’t ye get him?  What more’s to be said?  Run along now, Reddy, and pack it away.”

“That’s what Long Jim said,” insisted Petrak doggedly.  There was murder in his eyes, while his face was livid with fear.

“Then he lied, and ye ought to take my word against his.  Don’t be a fool now, Reddy, like the others.  Ye’ll get your share, bank on that.  Yer a good sort, Petrak; and I need ye to help me get it away, and we’ll share and share alike, as I told ye.  Do you think I’d play dirt with ye after all we’ve been through together, Reddy?”

“Course not.  Don’t mind my lip, Thirkle, old chap.  No harm done, is there?”

“No harm done, Reddy,” said Thirkle, glancing at me suspiciously, as if he thought I had been turning Petrak against him.

“No harm in what I say, Thirkle,” and Petrak took up the end of the sack.  His mistrust of Thirkle gave me an idea, which I put into play as soon as we were well inside the crevice.

“Petrak,” I whispered dropping my end of the sack, and compelling him to let it down.

“What’s up now?” he whispered.

“He’ll kill you, too, Reddy.  He’s planning it out; and if you let him, he’ll kill both of us before he quits this island.  Are you going to let him do it, Reddy?”

He growled out something and fumbled at his belt, and it was touch and go with him whether he would knife me and then run out and tell Thirkle to gain credit with him.

“His mind is made up, Reddy.  He may let us help him get a boat into the water, but that’s all.  He’ll murder both of us like dogs.”

“Old Thirkle’s all right,” he said weakly, as if he felt the truth of what I said, but lacked courage to attack Thirkle.