"What are you doing here?" asked Storms, in turn, slapping him familiarly on the shoulder. "I suppose we came upon the same errand, as we are so soon to leave for home. The pearls are buried here, and we must carry them away with us."
"How do you know that's what I came for, Abe?"
"I'm only saying I suspect it's your business. I know it's mine."
Captain Bergen was a little bewildered by the sharp manner in which the good-natured mate caught him up, and, while he seemed to be debating with himself what to say, Storms took his arm and led him a short distance off, and, seating him on the beach, said:
"There's no hurry about the business, Jack, for we won't start until to-morrow morning at daylight, so as to have as few nights on the voyage as possible, and we had better decide on the proper course for us to take."
"That is correct," replied the captain, assenting so quietly that his friend hoped he would remain easily manageable.
"You remember, Jack, that when we buried the pearls there, we divided them--your half is in a strong canvas bag, so packed that they won't rub together, or make any noise; and mine are in another sack. The single pearl which belongs to Inez is also carefully covered; and now we must manage to get away with them, without letting Sanders know they are in our possession."
"What do you want to do that for?" demanded the captain, turning fiercely upon the mate. "I like that fellow. He's going to put me on a ship and send me back to Boston; and any one who does that does me a service worth more than all the pearls in the world. I am going to give him all mine, and I hope Inez will do the same. I shall do my best to persuade her, and if you don't, Abe, you and I are deadly enemies, and I'll kill you the first chance!"
Storms showed his shrewdness by the manner in which he managed the poor fellow.
"That's all right, Jack," he replied, assuming a look and expression of anger, as he glared upon the lunatic, well aware that he must make him afraid of him. "If it's any fun for you to talk in that style, I'll let you do it once, but don't you try it again. Did I ever tell you about those sixteen persons that I killed up in New Hampshire before we started out with the _Coral?_"