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any communication with the lower deck。 Taking a long rifle from the rack
above his berth； he carefully examined the hammer and cap； and then
cautiously let himself down through the forehatch to the deck below。 After
a deliberate survey of the still intact fastenings of the hatch over the
forehold； he proceeded quietly to unloose them again with the aid of the
tools that still lay there。 When the hatch was once more free he lifted it；
and； withdrawing a few feet from the opening； sat himself down； rifle in
hand。 A profound silence reigned throughout the lower deck。
〃Ye kin rize up out o' that；〃 said Nott gently。
There was a stealthy rustle below that seemed to approach the hatch；
and then with a sudden bound the Lascar leaped on the deck。 But at the
same instant Nott covered him with his rifle。 A slight shade of
disappointment and surprise had crossed the old man's face； and clouded
his small round eyes at the apparition of the Lascar； but his hand was none
the less firm upon the trigger as the frightened prisoner sank on his knees；
with his hands clasped in the attitude of supplication for mercy。
〃Ef you're thinkin' o' skippin' afore I've done with yer；〃 said Nott with
labored gentleness； 〃I oughter warn ye that it's my style to drop Injins at
two hundred yards； and this deck ain't anywhere mor'n fifty。 It's an
uncomfortable style； a nasty stylebut it's MY style。 I thought I'd tell yer；
so yer could take it easy where you air。 Where's Ferrers？〃
Even in the man's insane terror； his utter bewilderment at the question
was evident。 〃Ferrers？〃 he gasped； 〃don't know him； I swear to God；
boss。〃
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〃P'r'aps；〃 said Nott； with infinite cunning； 〃yer don't know the man ez
kem into the loft from the alley last nightp'r'aps yer didn't see an airy
Frenchman with a dyed moustache； eh？ I thought that would fetch ye！〃 he
continued； as the man started at the evidence that his vision of last night
was a living man。 〃P'r'aps you and him didn't break into this ship last night；
jist to run off with my darter Rosey？ P'r'aps yer don't know Rosey； eh？
P'r'aps yer don't know ez Ferrers wants to marry her； and hez been hangin'
round yer ever since he lefteh？〃
Scarcely believing the evidence of his senses that the old man whose
treasure he had been trying to steal was utterly ignorant of his real offense；
and yet uncertain of the penalty of the other crime of which he was
accused； the Lascar writhed his body and stammered vaguely； 〃Mercy！
Mercy！〃
〃Well；〃 said Nott； cautiously； 〃ez I reckon the hide of a dead Chinee
nigger ain't any more vallyble than that of a dead Injin； I don't care ef I let
up on yerseein' the cussedness ain't yours。 But ef I let yer off this once；
you must take a message to Ferrers from me。〃
〃Let me off this time； boss； and I swear to God I will；〃 said the Lascar
eagerly。
〃Ye kin say to Ferrerslet me see〃 deliberated Nott； leaning on his
rifle with cautious reflection。 〃Ye kin say to Ferrers like thissez you；
'Ferrers；' sez you； 'the old man sez that afore you went away you sez to
him； sez you； 〃I take my honor with me；〃 sez you'have you got that？〃
interrupted Nott suddenly。
〃Yes； boss。〃
〃'I take my honor with me；' sez you；〃 repeated Nott slowly。 〃'Now；' sez
you'the old man sez； sez hetell Ferrers； sez he； that his honor havin' run
away agin； he sends it back to him； and ef he ever ketches it around after
this； he'll shoot it on sight。' Hev yer got that？〃
〃Yes；〃 stammered the bewildered captive。
〃Then git！〃
The Lascar sprang to his feet with the agility of a panther； leaped
through the hatch above him； and disappeared over the bow of the ship
with an unhesitating directness that showed that every avenue of escape
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had been already contemplated by him。 Slipping lightly from the cutwater
to the ground； he continued his flight； only stopping at the private office of
Mr。 Sleight。
When Mr。 Renshaw and Rosey Nott arrived on board the Pontiac that
evening； they were astonished to find the passage before the cabin
completely occupied with trunks and boxes； and the bulk of their
household goods apparently in the process of removal。 Mr。 Nott； who was
superintending the work of two Chinamen； betrayed not only no surprise
at the appearance of the young people； but not the remotest recognition of
their own bewilderment at his occupation。
〃Kalkilatin'；〃 he remarked casually to his daughter； 〃you'd rather look
arter your fixin's； Rosey； I've left 'em till the last。 P'r'aps yer and Mr。
Renshaw wouldn't mind sittin' down on that locker until I've strapped this
yer box。〃
〃But what does it all mean； father？〃 said Rosey； taking the old man by
the lapels of his sea…jacket； and slightly emphasizing her question。 〃What
in the name of goodness are you doing？〃
〃Breakin' camp； Rosey dear； breakin' camp； jist ez we uster；〃 replied
Nott with cheerful philosophy。 〃Kinder like old times； ain't it？ Lord；
Rosey；〃 he continued； stopping and following up the reminiscence； with
the end of the rope in his hand as if it were a clue； 〃don't ye mind that day
we started outer Livermore Pass； and seed the hull o' the Californy coast
stretchin' yonder eh？ But don't ye be skeered； Rosey dear；〃 he added
quickly； as if in recognition of the alarm expressed in her face。 〃I ain't
turning ye outer house and home； I've jist hired that 'ere Madrono Cottage
from the Peters ontil we kin look round。〃
〃But you're not leaving the ship； father；〃 continued Rosey； impetuously。
〃You haven't sold it to that man Sleight？〃
Mr。 Nott rose and carefully closed the cabin door。 Then drawing a
large wallet from his pocket； he said； 〃It's sing'lar ye should hev got the
name right the first pop； ain't it； Rosey？ but it's Sleight； sure enough； all
the time。 This yer check；〃 he added； producing a paper from the depths of
the wallet； 〃this yer check for 25；000 dollars is wot he paid for it only two
hours ago。〃
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〃But；〃 said Renshaw； springing to his feet furiously； 〃you're duped；
swindledbetrayed！〃
〃Young man；〃 said Nott； throwing a certain dignity into his habitual
gesture of placing his hands on Renshaw's shoulders； 〃I bought this yer
ship five years ago jist ez she stood for 8；000 dollars。 Kalkilatin' wot she
cost me in repairs and taxes； and wot she brought me in since then；
accordin' to my figgerin'； I don't call a clear profit of 15；000 dollars much
of a swindle。〃
〃Tell him all；〃 said Rosey； quickly； more alarmed at Renshaw's
despairing face than at the news itself。 〃Tell him everything； DickMr。
Renshaw； it may not be too late。〃
In a voice half choked with passionate indignation Renshaw hurriedly
repeated the story of the hidden treasure； and the plot to rescue it；
prompted frequently by Rosey's tenacious memory and assisted by Rosey's
deft and tactful explanations。 But to their surprise the imperturbable
countenance of Abner Nott never altered； a slight moisture of kindly
paternal tolerance of their extravagance glistened in his little eyes； but
nothing more。
〃Ef there was a part o' this ship； a plank or a bolt ez I don't know； ez I
hevn't touched with my own hand； and looked into with my own eyes； thar
might be suthin' in that story。 I don't let on to be a sailor like YOU； but ez I
know the ship ez a boy knows his first hoss； as a woman knows her first
babby； I reckon thar ain't no treasure yer； onless it was brought into the
Pontiac last night by them chaps。〃
〃But are you mad！ Sleight would not pay three times the value of the
ship to…day if he were not positive！ And that positive knowledge was
gained last night by the villain who broke into the Pontiacno doubt the
Lascar。〃
〃