Pledge, who chewed slowly as a cow the cud, watched his companion steadfastly, his temples throbbing with the action of his jaws, and said: "Do you believe it, John?" "So help me God, yes, then, as I sit here," answered Mr Eagle. "Who is to work the ship for him?" asked Pledge. "For you may depend upon it that if the crew are to be carried away to an unbeknown place, they'll all go below to a man, for Jack's as good as his master when it comes to his having to do something which he didn't agree for." "I put it as you do, though in different words," said Mr Eagle, "and he answered that Captain Acton's orders must be obeyed, that the crew's refusal would be mutiny, and that if they wouldn't work the ship to a port, where he could ship a fresh crew, he'd heave a-back the main-topsail yard and wait for a man-o'-war to come along." "Well, I'm jiggered!" said Mr Pledge, now looking slightly startled, for he was an old sailor, he well understood the despotic powers of the captain of a ship, and he readily perceived that Mr Lawrence's threats in case of refusal by the crew were to be carried out. "But that's not all," continued Mr Eagle, with another glance at the skylight. "It ain't even 'arf all, and I think you'll agree with me that the rummiest part's got to come." "Another slice, John!" said Pledge, pushing his plate, and cutting a big chunk from a loaf. "Who d'ye think's aboard?" "Who?" "Why, Captain Acton's daughter, Miss Lucy Acton!" "What's she a-doing' of _here_?" enquired Pledge, pulling away his plate heavy with meat and fat. "She's a-running away with Mr Lawrence!" "Or is Mr Lawrence a-running away with _her_?" "According to his yarn," said Eagle with sour solemnity, "they've rooned away with each other." "Where is she?" asked Pledge. Eagle dumbly pointed to the Captain's cabin. "It's an artfully laid plot," said he, "if the Capt'n's to be believed. She's supposed to be locked up agin her will. By-and-by she's to go among the sailors and swear that she's been carried off by violence. This is to make her father believe that she never consented to run away, as she don't want to lose the fortune as 'ud otherwise come to her." "Wasn't there some talk a bit of a time past of him a-courting of her?" said Pledge. "Why, yes, now that you remind me, I recollect."