“Give it him, if ye mind, Reddy, but be polite to him.  He was an officer in the navy afore he turned pirate, Reddy.”

“A navy officer?  Thirkle a navy officer?” asked Petrak.  “I was a navy man myself when I was a boy.”

He stepped to Thirkle and held the bottle to the prisoner’s lips.

“Was ye an officer—­a navy officer, Thirkle?” he asked, somewhat awestricken at the idea.

“We had a little chat, Mr. Buckrow and myself, while you were away,” said Thirkle, after he had had his drink.  “Real chummy we got.”

“Ho, yes; real chummy, Thirkle!  So chummy, Red, he was ready to let a knife into me, and now he says he was in the navy; well up to his flag, too, and the queen’s commission, all nice and handy.  He thinks he’s too nice to mix with the likes of us; he says as how we won’t know how to blow the loot ladylike and decent.  Mind that, Reddy?  Ho, ho, ho!”

“It’s this way, Reddy,” explained Thirkle.  “Our old friend Bucky thought I was jealous of him, and wanted it all to myself.  But I never had such a thought.  Long Jim was the one I didn’t like, and never did, but you and Bucky are two after my own heart and—­”

“He likes us, Reddy,” interrupted Buckrow.  “He likes us both, and you best; but he likes us.  Give him another drink and he’ll cry for his sins.”

“Mr. Buckrow, I mean every word I say,” declared Thirkle, and he meant it, for the shrewd rascal was talking for his life.  “There’s gold enough here for all of us, and we’ll divide it now, and each take his share and split it to the dollar.  Leave it to me and I’ll get it off for you, safe and easy; but try to go it alone and the two of ye’ll hang.  Hang!  Understand that, Reddy?  The two of you’ll hang; and it’s Thirkle that says it, and Thirkle knows.  But Thirkle can help ye if ye let him.”

“Taffy he’s givin’ us now, Reddy,” said Buckrow, seeing that Petrak was being impressed by Thirkle’s argument.

“Ye’ll hang, the two of ye,” said Thirkle.  “Taffy, if ye like, Mr. Buckrow.”

“They’ll have to take me first, and that’s not so easy as ye make it,” blustered Buckrow.  “Don’t mind him, Reddy.”

“They’ll get ye,” said Thirkle, nodding his head.  “They’ll get ye the minute ye land anywhere with a dozen of them gold pieces.  Where’ll ye go with it?  That’s what I want to know.  Where’ll ye clear from?  Tell me that.  No doubt ye’ll land in Manila with a boat-load of gold and say yer out of the Kut Sang, and she went down, and all were lost but you two and the cargo of gold.  And they’ll let ye keep it and send ye on yer way, with no questions asked.”

“Ye mind what he says, Bucky?” Petrak was getting nervous.

“Mind what he says, if ye like,” said Buckrow.  “I’m man enough to get away with it, Thirkle or no Thirkle.”

“That sounds very big, Mr. Buckrow; but where will ye go?  Easy enough it would be if this island was off the track of ships, but the minute ye make a westing ten miles with a boat-load of gold, or empty-handed, pop! ye go into the hands of a coast-guard cutter or a ship.  Fine time ye’ll have telling ye found it, or that ye got out of the ship by yerself.  Back to Manila ye’ll go, and slam into Bilibid prison, and all about ye in the papers, and all about the gold; and then ye’ll be in a nice fix.