“I consider the two persons we have just tricked and got rid of as honest and upright people, and I wish I were like them. I can’t say as much as that of you or myself,” replied Frinks bluntly. “I claim to be an honest and upright man,” added Scoble. “Then the devil himself is one of that sort! But I don’t want to discuss morality and piety with you, for you know nothing at all about subjects of that sort.” “Don’t you think I have a right to my wife?” “I don’t know, and I don’t care, whether you have or not. I haven’t anything to say about that. You agreed to pay me five hundred pounds if I helped you out successfully with your business on this side of the ocean. You were to pay me a hundred pounds when I got the lady and her son on board of the Maud.” “But her son is not here now,” pleaded the captain. “He is not here because you wanted to get rid of him; and I got rid of him, and the man with him, who was big enough to turn your cake into dough. One hundred pounds now, Captain Scoble, or we quarrel on the spot.” “Don’t be in such a hurry, Frinks. I will pay you every shilling I agreed to pay you,” said the captain. “I won’t trust you a day or an hour. One hundred pounds now, or I will anchor the Maud where she was an hour ago! That is all that need be said about it. Pay, or lose every trick you have made!” “But I can’t pay just now,” protested Scoble. “My wife occupies my stateroom, and I cannot get at my money. I will give you the amount in the morning, as soon as I can get possession of my room.” “That won’t do!” “Would you have me turn a lady out of her room at this time of night?” “Why not? I don’t care anything about the woman,” replied Frinks, rising from his seat at the table. “I will get her out of the room in something less than long metre.” “No, no, Frinks! Don’t disturb her, for I am going to make my peace with her; and turning her out of her room would be a very bad beginning,” argued Scoble, using his most persuasive tones. “It would be little better than an outrage.” “That is your affair, and not mine. One hundred pounds down, or we quarrel! Choose for yourself.” “If I can’t help myself, I can’t,” muttered the captain. “You can’t, unless you want to go back to that bay. Of course you expect to be pursued; for Louis Belgrave is not going to let you carry off his mother without following you all over the world. The boy has grit and pluck.” “I have nothing to fear from him now.” “Shall I tumble the lady out of that stateroom so that you can get my money?” demanded the mate. “I don’t see that I can help myself,” answered Scoble. “But I can help myself!” shouted Felix McGavonty, leaping from his berth, and placing himself in front of the lady’s door. “Oh, you are alive, are you?” said Frinks, contemptuously. “Faix, I’m aloive and I’m kicking!” replied Felix, with his hand on the handle of his smaller revolver, with which he had practised a good deal in a shooting gallery.