"You needn’t be afraid of me," said the man.
"I’m not," answered Harnash. He was ghastly pale and extremely nervous, but not from fear of the crimp. "This is just a matter of precaution."
"Well, what do I git out of this yere job?" asked the man.
"I understand Mr. Woywod will settle with you for that."
"Well, he does, but what I gits from him is the price of a foremast hand, an’ ’tain’t enough."
The crimp bent over Beekman, flashed the light on him, and pulled out the roll of bills, which he quickly counted.
"It’s fair, but I’d ought to git more. This here’s a swell job; look at them clo’es."
"It’s all you’ll get," said Harnash, laying his hand on the door.
The man lifted the torch. Harnash lifted the pistol.
"Just put that torch back in your pocket," he said.
"You’re a cool one," laughed the man, but he obeyed the order.
"If it is learned tomorrow that this man has disappeared you’ll receive through the United States mail in a plain envelope a hundred dollar bill. If not, you get nothing."
"Suppose I croak him, how’d you know anything about it?"
"Mr. Woywod has arranged to inform me, and he will also put your part of the transaction on record, so if you say a word you’ll be laid by the heels and get nothing for your pains. There are a number of things against you, I’m told. The police would be most happy to get you, I know. Just bear that in mind."
The man nodded. He knew when the cards were stacked against him. After all, this did not greatly differ from an ordinary job and he was getting, for him, very well paid for his part of it.
"I got relations with Woywod an’ lots of other seafarin’ men. My business would be ruined if I played tricks on ’em. You can trust me to keep quiet."
"I thought so," answered Harnash. "Good-night."
He opened the door, stepped outside, closed the door behind him, and waited a moment, but the crimp made no effort to follow him. After all, it was only an every day matter with him. Harnash next drove the car down the street near one of the wharves, where he met Woywod.
"Is it all right, George?" asked the latter.
"All right, Bill. He’s at the place you told me to leave him. Can you keep the crimp’s mouth shut?"
"Trust me for that," said Woywod confidently. "He’s mixed up in too many shady transactions to give anybody any information."