“No. Because you didn’t go. I suppose you know which river he came down. And whereabouts he got on the log?” “Oh yes,” said Cammock; “better than I know you, Mr. Stukeley.” “What d’you mean?” said Stukeley. “Nothing,” said Cammock. “The very last time I saw Ed Springer, we talked it all out. And he told me all he remembered, and we worked it out together, whereabouts he must have got to. You see, Mrs. Stukeley, Springer went a long way. He was lost---- And we were going to look for it together.” “Why didn’t you?” said Stukeley. “Were you afraid?” “Yes,” replied Cammock curtly; “I was.” Thinking that there would be an open quarrel, Captain Margaret interrupted. “And you think Springer’s Key would be the best for us?” “Yes, sir.” “Here is Springer’s Key on the map. Come here, Stukeley, and just cast your eye over it.” Stukeley advanced, and put his hand on Olivia’s shoulder, drawing her against him, as he leaned over to see the map. She stroked the caressing hand, only conscious of the pleasure of her husband’s caress. She had no thought of what the sight meant to Margaret. Perrin felt for his friend. “Put it to the vote, Charles,” he said hastily. “Very well then,” said Margaret. “Shall we decide then? To go to Springer’s Key?” “Is it a pleasant place?” said Olivia. “Don’t, Tom.” She gave the hand a little slap. “Very pleasant, Mrs. Stukeley. A island with huge big cedars on it--aromatic cedars--as red as blood; and all green parrots. Wells. Good drinking wells. Wonderful flowers. If you’re fond of flowers, ma’am.” “What sorts are they?” “Arnotto roses, and yellow violet trees. Oh, lots of them.” “Oh, then, Springer’s Key, certainly.” “Springer’s Key,” said Stukeley and Perrin. “The ayes have it.” “Very well, then,” said Margaret. “We’ll decide for Springer’s Key.” “One other thing, sir,” said Cammock. “There’s the difficulty about men. We’ve forty-five men in the ship here, mustering boys and idlers. And that’s not enough. It’s not enough to attract allies. Of course, I quite see, if you’d shipped more in London, in a ship of this size, it would have looked odd. It might have attracted notice. The Spaniards watch the Pool a sight more’n you think. But you want more. And you want choice weapons for them.” He paused for a second to watch Captain Margaret’s face, then, seeing no change upon it, continued, “I know you got twenty long brass eighteens among the ballast.” “How did you know that?” said Margaret. “Well, you have, sir,” said Cammock, grinning, “and small-arms in proportion. You can fortify Springer’s with a third of that lot. Now you want another forty or fifty men, at least, and then you’ll be boss dog. Every privateer captain will come saying, ‘Oh, Massa’ to you.” “Yes,” said Perrin. “It seems to me that there’ll be a difficulty in getting men. You see we want really a drill force.”