Sam Oakum had been till quite late standing chewing his tobacco, as he looked over the side watching the golden green water that heaved gently against the stern of the vessel, for, moored as she was, she did not swing with the tide, and after a time he went and joined 'Pollo, whose galley was, after all, no hotter than the rest of the ship. From where they sat talking in a low voice, the encounter between Laure and Hester had not been heard, and when from time to time Oakum thrust out his head and took a look round to see the faint glow from the cabin skylight, all was as still as death, and he drew his head in again and went on talking. "Don't gawp like that, 'Pollo," said Oakum at last, as his companion yawned in a fashion that was quite shark-like. "I berry sleep and tired, Mass' Oakum, sah; I had berry hot day." "There, I'll soon wake you up, my lad." "No, sah, I hope you do nuffum ob de sort, for I want go asleep." Oakum chuckled softly to himself, and then, just as 'Pollo was in the midst of a second yawn, he said: "I wonder how much apiece the governors mean to give us." 'Pollo was wide awake on the instant. "I no know, Mass' Oakum, sah, but dey get so much for demselves dat they give us great big whack." "I dunno," said Sam. "We ought to have made a bargain. But there, let's go down and turn in." "No, sah, I tank you," said 'Pollo; "it ten time more hot down below dere dan in my galley, where de fire full go. Nuff to cook all de boys in de forksel, and make 'em come up brown in de morning. I not bit sleepy now, and when I am I lie down here on de deck and hab rest." "Well it is a bit better up here, 'Pollo, for you can breathe." "Yes, sah; can get de wind 'nuff to kip going. But 'bout de silber, sah. You tink dey get up all from down below?" "Yes, 'Pollo, and I suppose we shall start next to get to another sunken wreck, and unload her." "I tink, sah, I take de schooner close up to dat old wreck off de lilly island." "So do I, 'Pollo; and what's more I will." "I tink, sah, we ought get berry big lot ob silber for ourselb. If I tought dey turn shabby, I say let Mass' Oakum and me go and get de whole ob de oder ship and cut de silber in two half, and take one apiece." "Very pretty, 'Pollo, if we could do it: but as we can't, let's be content with what we get from the governors." "Yah--yah--yah--yah," laughed 'Pollo softly. "Now then, what are you grinning about?" said Oakum. "I tink, sah, about de sunken ship and de silber." "What of it?" "I tink, sah, how funny it am if we came out here, find de sunk ship, pull up all de silber, and den if we go and lose de ship somewheres else, and all de silber go to de bottom again." "I say, young fellow," growled Sam, "don't you get croaking like that. 'Taint lucky." "No, sah; wouldn't be lucky lose all de silber again. I tink I know how much I go to hab for my share." "Enough to make you an independent gentleman for life, 'Pollo."