"You have always been my right-hand man, Pete, and I know I can rely on you yet, even though you did make a fizzle of that affair in Washington." "I didn't know I was being spotted," growled the sailor, for such Pete Rackley really was. "My game is that you go aboard of the _Swallow_ and ship with Captain Broadbeam. Tell him you are a castaway, and have been here nearly a year." "But young Fearless knows me." "You can dye your face and your hair and he won't recognize you, I am sure. In that sailor rig you don't look like the man you were in Washington in a light suit and a linen shirt." "That's true, too. But after I am on the _Swallow_ I don't see what I can do to keep them from going ahead to where the treasure is." "I will tell you what to do. Wait until you are about a day out from here and then watch your chance and disable the machinery, so that they will have to put back for repairs. When the machinery is repaired, injure the rudder, and that will bring them back again. Keep that up for about a month, and the treasure will be mine, and if I get it, you shall have ten thousand dollars in cold cash for your work." "It's taking a big risk," answered Pete Rackley, slowly. "And so is ten thousand dollars a big sum of money, Pete. It's more than you'll ever get by working, and you know it." "That's true, too." "And if you are sly about it, you'll run very little risk of detection." "But how will I get on board of the _Raven_ again?" "After you have kept the _Swallow_ behind a month you can let her go and desert, hiding in the woods so that they can't find you. You can provide yourself with plenty of food. As soon as we have the treasure on board of the _Raven_, I'll come back for you and take you on board." "You won't desert me?" "I will not. More than that, I'll take Captain Nesik into the secret with me, and I'll leave behind all of my diamonds and my gold watch as an evidence of my good faith." "Leave your boy Bart here for company and I'll take you up, Hankers." "I would even do that, Pete, but you know well enough Bart won't stay behind. He is crazy to get the treasure and crow over the Fearlesses. He even says he is going down himself, in that new diving bell we brought along--just to show that he can work under water as well as Dave Fearless." "Then you must leave me all the stuff you can, and you and Captain Nesik must promise on your bended knees to come back for me. I wouldn't be marooned for twice ten thousand dollars." "It will be all right. You can--hullo, who is calling?" A form had appeared at the mouth of the cave. "Are you in there, dad?" came the cry. "Yes, Bart," answered Lemuel Hankers. He turned to Pete Rackley. "Come, quick! Do you accept my offer?" "I do," answered the rascally sailor, and the pair of villains shook hands. "What are you up to?" went on Bart Hankers, as he came closer. "Oh, we were just taking a look around," replied his father, carelessly.