“Let’s call him Tobias from now on, Tom,” I interposed.

“Well him, sar, kept his nerve, but the others ran for the boats as if the devil was after them; but the captain’s gun was quicker, and only four of them got to the Susan B. The other two fell on their faces, as if something had tripped them up, in a couple of feet of water.  But, just then, Tobias hit the captain right in the heart; ah! if only he had one of those skins—­but he always laughed off such things as superstitious.

“There was only me and Tobias then, and the dog, for the engineer boy had gone on his knees to the Susan B. fellows, at the first crack, and begged them to take him away with them.  I wouldn’t have thought it of him—­for he wasn’t afraid o’ them sharks, sar, as you saw, but I suppose it was thinking of his gal—­anyway he went off a-praying and blubbering with what was left of the crew of the Susan B., who seemed too scared to notice him, and so let him come; and, as I was saying, there was no one left but Tobias and the dog and me, and I was sure my end was not far off, for I was never much of a shot.

“As God is my witness, sar, I was ready to die, and there was a moment when I thought that the time had come and Martha was calling me; but Tobias suddenly walked away to the top of the bluff and called out to the Susan B. that was just running up her sails.  At his word, they put out a boat for him, and, while he waited, he came down the hill towards me and the dog that stood growling over you; and for sure, I thought it was the end.  But he said:  ’Tell that fellow there that I’m not going to kill a defenceless man.  He might have killed me once but he didn’t.  It’s bound to be one of us some day or other, but despise me all he likes—­I’m not such carrion as he thinks me; and if he only likes to keep out of my way, I’m willing to keep out of his.  Tell him, when he wakes up, that as long as he gives up going after what belongs to me—­for it was my grandfather’s—­he is safe, but the minute he sets his foot or hand on what is mine, it’s either his life or mine.’  And then he turned away and was rowed to the Susan B., and they soon sailed away.”

“With the black flag at the peak, I suppose, Tom,” said I.  “Well, that was a fine speech, quite a flight of oratory, and I’m sure I’m obliged to him for the life that’s still worth having, in spite of this ungodly aching in my head.  But how about the poor captain there!  Where does all his eloquence come in there?  He can’t call it self-defence.  They were waiting ready to murder us all right behind that seven-year apple tree, as you saw.  I’m afraid the captain and the law between them are all that is necessary to cook the goose of our friend Henry P. Tobias, Jr., without any help from me—­though, as the captain died for me, I should prefer they allowed me to make it a personal matter.”

And then I got on my feet, and went and looked at the captain’s calm face.