His rapacity was beyond credence. There was an immense treasure in the hold, yet he could not leave the pockets of the two poor wretches on deck alone. I did not envy him his task. The frozen figures would bear a deal of hammering; and besides he had to work in the cold. Ah, thought I with a groan, I should have left him to make one of them! I had finished my dinner by the time he arrived. He produced the watch I had taken from and returned to the mate's pocket when I had searched him for a tinder-box; also a gold snuff-box set with diamonds, and a few Spanish pieces in gold. On seeing these things I remembered that I had found some rings and money in his pockets whilst overhauling him for means to obtain fire; but I held my peace. "Should not we have been imbeciles to sacrifice these beauties?" he cried, viewing the watch and snuff-box with a rapturous grin. "They were hard to come at, I expect?" "No," he answered, pocketing them and turning to a piece of beef in the oven. "I knocked away the ice and after a little wrenching got at the pockets. But poor Trentanove! d'ye know, his nose came away with the mask of ice! He is no longer lovely to the sight!" He broke into a guffaw, then stuffed his mouth full and talked in the intervals of chewing. "There was nothing worth taking on Barros. They are both overboard." "Overboard!" I cried. "Why, yes," said he. "They are no good on deck. I stood them against the rail, then tipped them over." This was an illustration of his strength I did not much relish. "I doubt if I could have lifted Barros," said I. "Not you!" he exclaimed, running his eye over me. "A dead Dutchman would have the weight of a fairy alongside Barros." "Well, Mr. Tassard," said I, "since you are so strong, you will be very useful to our scheme. There is much to be done." "Give me a sketch of your plans, that I may understand you," he exclaimed, continuing to eat very heartily. "First of all," said I, "we shall have to break the powder-barrels out of the magazine and hoist them on deck. There are tackles, I suppose?" "You should be able to find what you want among the boatswain's stores in the run," he replied. "There are some splits wide enough to receive a whole barrel of powder," said I. "I counted four such yawns all happily lying in a line athwart the ice past the bows. I propose to sink these barrels twenty feet deep, where they must hang from a piece of spar across the aperture." He nodded. "Have you any slow-matches aboard?" "Plenty among the gunner's stores," he replied. "There are but you and me," said I; "these operations will take time. We must mind not to be blown up by one barrel whilst we are suspending another. We shall have to lower the barrels with their matches on fire and they must be timed to burn an hour." "Ay, certainly, at least an hour," he exclaimed. "Two hours would be better."