"I heard you; but do not fear that I
will reveal what you have said. I can help you, and you can help
me." He was addressing Schneider. "You can navigate a ship, but
you have no ship. We have a ship, but no one to navigate it. If
you will come with us and ask no questions we will let you take
the ship where you will after you have landed us at a certain port,
the name of which we will give you later. You can take the woman
of whom you speak, and we will ask no questions either. Is it a
bargain?"
Schneider desired more information, and got as much as Momulla
thought best to give him. Then the Maori suggested that they speak
with Kai Shang. The two members of the Kincaid's company followed
Momulla and his fellows to a point in the jungle close by the camp
of the mutineers. Here Momulla hid them while he went in search
of Kai Shang, first admonishing his Maori companions to stand guard
over the two sailors lest they change their minds and attempt to
escape. Schneider and Schmidt were virtually prisoners, though
they did not know it.
Presently Momulla returned with Kai Shang, to whom he had briefly
narrated the details of the stroke of good fortune that had come
to them. The Chinaman spoke at length with Schneider, until,
notwithstanding his natural suspicion of the sincerity of all men,
he became quite convinced that Schneider was quite as much a rogue
as himself and that the fellow was anxious to leave the island.
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