"Look 'ere, Cap'n Jack," said Israel; "we want to spaik plain. Why is he to be put afore we? Here 'ee es, livin' at your 'ouse as ef 'ee was yer son. He ain't got to do no dirty work. Oal we want es fair play. Laive 'ee do loustrin' jobs same as we do." "Anything else?" asked Cap'n Jack. "I do'ant bleeve in makin' fish o' waun and flesh of t'other. All alike, I zay." "Be I cap'n?" asked Cap'n Jack. "Iss, you be; but we chaps 'ave got our rights, tha's wot I zay. Wot's ee more'n we?" "Be I a fool, Israel Barnicoat?" asked Cap'n Jack. "Caan't I zee wot's good fur us oal? He's larnin' navigation--wot fur? Ain't us got a ship that 'll need navigation? We want a man as knaws figgers an's got schoolin'; 'ave you got et? We want somebody as can play the genleman; can you do et? Billy Coad es too ould to taake command ov the _Flyin' Swan_ much longer; well, wot then? Who's to do et? You knaw we caan't 'ford to 'ave outsiders. 'Sides, ef 'ee once gits in weth we--well, we've got un, ain't us?" "Well, wot then?" "He'll buy back Pennington." "Wot's the use o' that to we?" "Be 'ee a fool, Israel Barnicoat? Caan't 'ee zee that eff he's one o' we, and he gits back his rights, that we'm as safe as eggs, an' shell allays have a squire an' a magistrate on our side? Tha's wot I be humourin' 'im for. I do'ant want to drive un away fust thing." A good deal of murmuring followed this, some of the men evidently agreeing with their captain, others feeling with Israel that I had had too many favours shown me. Then they talked too low for me to hear, except now and then fragments of sentences about the "queer-coloured flag on the _Flying Swan_," and "Billy Coad makin' many a man walk the plank." All this opened my eyes to many things which had not hitherto been plain to me, and I listened more eagerly than ever, in order to understand their plans concerning me; but I could make nothing out of the orders which Cap'n Jack was giving. At last, just before they left him, one asked a question in a low voice: "When is the _Flying Swan_ expected?" "A couple ov months, sonny. We must humour un a bit, and git un in our ways. We ca'ant 'ford to be fullish jist now." Presently they all left with the exception of Israel Barnicoat, who spoke to Cap'n Jack eagerly. "'Tes oal very well to talk, Cap'n," he said, "but 'ee's stailin' away Tamsin from me." "Did you ever 'ave Tamsin to stail, sonny?" asked the Cap'n. "Well, I 'ad a chance at wawn time, but now she's tooked on weth he. Mind, Cap'n, ef he do git Tamsin ther'll be somebody missin'!" "Doan't be a fool, Israel," replied Cap'n Jack. "Go away 'ome, sonny, and be ready for yer work in the mornin'." "But mind, Cap'n, the Squire must obey oarders saame as we, else ther'll be mutiny." "Well, 'ee shell, ther' now. Good-night, Israel; good-night, sonny, and by the blessing of Providence you'll be a rich man yet."