‘Why, as to that,’ says he, ‘I doubt not but that some of the rogues have a shrewd guess where I come from, and that I have pearls of price about me. I hardly think they would rob me openly and divide the booty in the face of day, but there are dozens of these cursed jail birds who would think no more of drawing a knife across a man’s weasand while he slept, if that would help them to filch a brass-farthing’s worth, than I would of smoking a whiff of tobacco.’ Then Rumbold asked whether I recognised the young fellow who first hailed him by name? and presently pointed him out, laughing and talking to Jerry. ‘I know the rascal well,’ said the pearl merchant. ‘He hath nimble wits and nimble fingers. I warrant ’twas he first tipped Jerry and the captain the wink in this matter. If it be so, depend upon it that the three intend to keep the thing snug to themselves, and share the plunder—that is, if they can get it.’ Our converse was broken up by the captain and mate walking aft together. The vessel was by this time put into proper trim, and standing on her course, with sails very well set, and swelling gaily in the breeze. The mate looked to windward. ‘I think the weather will hold steady,’ he said. Immediately, the captain shouted out to the boatswain to call all hands, and, presently, in answer to that shrill, sharp whistle, which penetrates down to the very keel of a ship, the crew tumbled upon deck, most of them being by this time sober enough, and trooped aft to the break of the poop, upon which Le Chiffon Rouge and Jerry stood. The ship was then hove to, with her broad maintop-sail laid to the mast, and Le Chiffon Rouge taking off his three-cornered hat, as it was the custom of the captain of a privateer to do when he addressed the whole crew, began to speak in a smooth, plausible fashion, to this effect— ‘Last night, gentlemen, as you well know, the “Saucy Susan” captured a Spanish sloop, out of which we took what we wanted, and then dismissed her. You cannot complain, any of you, that you had not as much of the good wine which we found aboard the sloop, as you could swill, with plenty of time and space to drink it in. But, gentlemen, here hath an ugly accident turned out in your revelry, and which it behoves me to inquire into. One of our honourable company hath drawn his knife, and wounded a comrade, in his cups, and that, by all the rules of privateersmen, must be punished. It is not that I much care about a kick on the shins, or a box on the ears, given or taken when the wine cup is full, and the dice-box rattling—but cold steel, comrades, we must keep for the Spaniards, and not get into the habit of polishing our knives against each other’s ribs.’