The sea gulls of a thousand years had presented them with a fortune beyond estimation, and Blood for the first time in his life saw himself a rich man--honestly rich.
Their joy was so great that the first thing they did on returning to the _Heart_ was to fling the whisky bottle into the lagoon.
“We don’t want any more of that hell stuff ever,” said Blood. “I want to enjoy life, and that spoils everything.”
“I’m with you,” said Harman, “not to say I’m goin’ to turn teetotal, for I’ve took notice that them mugs gets so full of themselves they haven’t cargo room for nuthin’ else. But I don’t want no more drunks--not me.”
During the next fortnight, with the help of the wheelbarrows and agricultural implements, they took in a cargo of guano. Then they sailed for Frisco.
I never heard exactly the amount of money they made over their last sea adventure, but I do know for a fact that Rafferty nearly died from “mortification” and that Blood and Harman are exceedingly rich men.
Blood turned gentleman and married; but Billy Harman is just the same, preferring sailormen as company and taking voyages to his island to sniff the source of his wealth and for the good of his health.
Billy is the only man I have ever known unspoiled by money.
The one footnote has been moved to the end of its chapter and relabeled.
Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
p. 43: Sime changed to Lime (passed Lime Point)
p. 292: Line changed to Lime (for Lime Point)
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sea Plunder, by H. De Vere Stacpoole