‘Oh, damn it! go and send Joe Wetherly aft,’ I cried, feigning a fit of temper; and I marched away to the binnacle, leaving him to trudge forward. A few minutes later, on looking through the skylight, I perceived Wilkins preparing the table. Presently, Wetherly arrived on the poop. I went forward to meet him, that I might be out of ear-shot of the fellow at the wheel, and at once said: ‘Wetherly, how is it with you in this truly infernal business?’ ‘Truly infarnal it is, sir,’ he instantly replied; ‘but you’ve got the most raw-headed lot of men to deal with that ever slung hammocks in a ship’s forecastle. After they went forward last night, they fell a-debating, all hands of them, and settled for this ship to fetch away that there gold, you commanding. I was agin it till I see how hot they talked, and then I thinks says I to myself, what do it sinnify? Whether I’m bound away to the Isle o’ France or to a loonatic’s island in the South Pacific, is all the same. If there’s money there, so much the better. If there ain’t, it can’t be helped. One agin ten’s not going to do much aboard a ship; so, when I was asked for an opinion, I just says, I’m neutral, lads. Do as ye like. I’ll be with ye; but never none of ye go and ask if I’m _of_ ye.’ ‘You don’t surely believe in Captain Braine’s crazy fancy?’ ‘Well, I own, Mr. Dugdale, that that there agreement ’twixt you and him a bit nonplushed me this mornin’ after I had read it out. It did look oncommonly like as though you yourself genu-inely believed in the yarn.’ He viewed me critically, though respectfully, as he spoke, with his mere pins’-heads of eyes. ‘Oh, man, I agreed—I pretended to fully credit—wholly with the idea of coaxing the madman to Rio, where the lady and myself would have left the barque. Can’t you see _that_, Wetherly?’ ‘Why, yes,’ he answered quickly, though speaking, nevertheless, as though his mind was not quite made up. ‘It’s a bad job for you and the lady, sir. The men are terribly in airnest. They’ll allow no speaking with ships, for fear of your blowing the gaff, as the saying goes. I may tell you you’ve acted wisely in falling in with their wishes. I may be more open by and by. I’m with you and the lady, sir; but I’ve got to be very careful.’ ‘I thank you sincerely.’ I saw him restlessly glance aft at the helmsman, and took the hint. His goodwill was of the utmost importance to me, and it would not do to imperil my relations with him by any sort of behaviour that might excite the suspicions of the crew as to our intimacy. CHAPTER XXXV MY CAPTAINCY