below, the seaman at his heels.

"My man," said Theriere, once the two were behind the

closed door of the officer's cabin, "I needn't ask how much

you overheard of the conversation in the captain's cabin. If

you hadn't overheard a great deal more than you should you

wouldn't have been so keen to escape detection just now.

What I wanted to say to you is this. Keep a close tongue in

your head and stick by me in what's going to happen in the

next few days. This bunch," he jerked his thumb in the

direction of the captain's cabin, "are fixing their necks for

halters, an' I for one don't intend to poke my head through

any noose of another man's making. There's more in this

thing if it's handled right, and handled without too many men

in on the whack-up than we can get out of it if that man

Divine has to be counted in. I've a plan of my own, an' it

won't take but three or four of us to put it across.

"You don't like Ward," he continued, "and you may be

almighty sure that Mr. Ward ain't losing any sleep nights over

love of you. If you stick to that bunch Ward will do you out

of your share as sure as you are a foot high, an' the chances

are that he'll do you out of a whole lot more besides--as a

matter of fact, Byrne, you're a mighty poor life insurance risk

right now, with a life expectancy that's pretty near minus as

long as Bender Ward is on the same ship with you. Do you

understand what I mean?"

"Aw," said Billy Byrne, "I ain't afraid o' that stiff. Let him

make any funny crack at me an' I'll cave in a handful of slats

for him--the piker."

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