"I said nothing about smuggling, captain, and I was not talking nonsense. I said that the master of a yacht sailing under Government papers has many opportunities of putting gold into his pockets; that is, if his liver be sound and he is not troubled with a morbid conscience. Now, I only left you for one hour, captain, and in that time I picked up all the news of the port by calling at one or two rum shops--old haunts of mine; and, as luck would have it, I have discovered an easy way for us all to make our fortunes." "Silence, man!" angrily ejaculated Carew. "I don't wish to hear your rascally plans. You mistake me; I am not one to seek a fortune by illicit methods." Carew meant all he said. He intended to commit one more crime only--to telegraph in Allen's name to the bank for the bulk of Allen's property. After that, sick of sin, he would live an exemplary life, and appease conscience by good works in some far country. But he forgot that he who once starts to run down a steep hill cannot stop himself exactly when he wishes. "What virtue--what righteous indignation!" sneered the mate. "But, captain, you will have to listen to me. Whether you wish it or no, you _shall_ make a fortune in the way I am going to suggest." There was a menace in the man's tone and a malicious twinkle in his eyes. Carew looked at him. "Explain yourself, if you please," he said coldly. "So I will," cried Baptiste, with energy, abandoning his lazy drawl. Then, throwing away his cigarette, he rose from his recumbent position and stood before Carew, who still remained sitting on the bench. "Do you think that I am blind--that I am an idiot, captain? Do you imagine that I don't know who you are and what you have done,--with all your virtuous talk,--eh, Mr. Carew?" As he uttered these words rapidly the mate closely observed their effect upon the Englishman, whose face turned ghastly white, and whose right hand stole round to his back. "No shooting, if you please," cried the Frenchman, in a bantering tone. "Don't draw that revolver. Remember that there's a fine for carrying firearms in Rio. Coward though I may be, you don't frighten me here, captain. I know you dare not kill me on shore. The inquiry afterwards would be fatal to you. Besides, you are wise enough to grasp quickly the fact that our interests are coincident. At sea it was otherwise. There I held my tongue. I was aware that you would have thrown me overboard some dark night had you guessed that I knew so much. Here on shore I am safe." Carew felt that he was in the man's power, and saw the futility of denial. "What do you know?" he asked, in a dry voice, bringing his hand in front of him again. "That your name is not Allen, but Carew." "What else?" "That you are impersonating a man whose property you have stolen."