"
"What makes you say that, Jake?"
"I'm only telling yer the truth; yer a chicken-hearted lot,
and losing all yer game; for what? the pretty face of a
she-devil!"
Too well the men all understood one-eyed Jake's savage
suggestion.
"You don't think," said one of them, "that the gal is dead
against us?"
"Well, I think she is as dead against us as a few dollars in
gold can make a female who's fond of gewgaws, and ambitious to
be a fine lady."
"Do you mean to say Renie receives money?"
"Well, I don't think bad enough of the gal to say she'd go
agin us for fun. I tell you, boys, the thing is dead agin us
unless the gal is silenced!"
The men all entered loud protests; the girl was a great
favorite yet with most of them, as she had grown up in their
midst.
"Oh, I expected you'd growl when you learned the truth, and
it's the gal or us--, as you all think so much of the gal, I
propose we lay provision in the 'Nancy,' and go off after
mackerel.
"What would you propose, Jake?"
"I propose sending the gal away."
"You would do her no harm?"
"I wouldn't harm a hair of her head; but she's doing us a good
deal of harm all the same."
"It's already been suggested to Tom Pearce to send the gal
away."
"He'll never do it!"
"But he must."
"It's all right to say he must; but who'll make old Tom Pearce
do a thing when he's made up his mind that be won't?"
"What would you propose?"
"I'd propose that we smuggle the gal."
"How smuggle her?"
"Take her out on the 'Nancy,' and put her aboard some outgoing
vessel as a passenger.
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