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Wickswasamazed，buthenaturallyventurednoremark；andalittleafter，thesixCurrencyLassessatdownwithTrentandGoddedaaltoaspreadofmarmalade，butter，toast，sardines，tinnedtongue，andsteamingtea。Thefoodwasnotverygood，andIhavenodoubtNareswouldhavereviledit，butitwasmannatothecastaways。Goddedaalwaitedonthemwithakindnessfarbeforecourtesy，akindnesslikethatofsomeold，honestcountrywomaninherfarm。ItwasrememberedafterwardsthatTrenttooklittleshareintheseattentions，butsatmuchabsorbedinthought，andseemedtorememberandforgetthepresenceofhisguestsalternately。
PresentlyheaddressedtheChinaman。
“Clearout！”saidhe，andwatchedhimtillhehaddisappearedinthestair。“Now，gentlemen。”hewenton，“Iunderstandyou’reajoint-stocksortofcrew，andthat’swhyI’vehadyoualldown；forthere’sapointIwantmadeclear。Youseewhatsortofashipthisis——agoodship，thoughIsayit，andyouseewhattherationsare——goodenoughforsailor-men。”
Therewasahurriedmurmurofapproval，butcuriosityforwhatwascomingnextpreventedanarticulatereply。
“Well。”continuedTrent，makingbreadpillsandlookinghardatthemiddleofthetable，“I’mgladofcoursetobeabletogiveyouapassageto’Frisco；onesailor-manshouldhelpanother，that’smymotto。Butwhenyouwantathinginthisworld，yougenerallyalwayshavetopayforit。”Helaughedabrief，joylesslaugh。“Ihavenoideaoflosingbymykindness。”
“Wehavenoideayoushould，captain。”saidWicks。
“Wearereadytopayanythinginreason。”addedCarthew。
Atthewords，Goddedaal，whosatnexttohim，touchedhimwithhiselbow，andthetwomatesexchangedasignificantlook。ThecharacterofCaptainTrentwasgivenandtakeninthatsilentsecond。
“Inreason？”repeatedthecaptainofthebrig。“Iwaswaitingforthat。Reason’sbetweentwopeople，andthere’sonlyonehere。
I’mthejudge；I’mreason。Ifyouwantanadvanceyouhavetopayforit“——hehastilycorrectedhimself——“Ifyouwantapassageinmyship，youhavetopaymyprice。”hesubstituted。“That’sbusiness，Ibelieve。Idon’twantyou；youwantme。”
“Well，sir。”saidCarthew，“andwhatISyourprice？”
Thecaptainmadebreadpills。“IfIwerelikeyou。”hesaid，“whenyougotholdofthatmerchantintheGilberts，Imightsurpriseyou。Youhadyourchancethen；seemstomeit’sminenow。Turnabout’sfairplay。WhatkindofmercydidyouhaveonthatGilbertmerchant？”hecried，withasuddenstridency。
“NotthatIblameyou。All’sfairinloveandbusiness。”andhelaughedagain，alittlefrostygiggle。
“Well，sir？”saidCarthew，gravely。
“Well，thisship’smine，Ithink？”heaskedsharply。
“Well，I’mofthatwayofthinkingmeself。”observedMac。
“Isayit’smine，sir！”reiteratedTrent，likeamantryingtobeangry。“AndItellyouall，ifIwasadriverlikewhatyouare，I
wouldtakethelot。Butthere’stwothousandpoundstherethatdon’tbelongtoyou，andI’manhonestman。Givemethetwothousandthat’syours，andI’llgiveyouapassagetothecoast，andlandeveryman-jackofyouin’Friscowithfifteenpoundsinhispocket，andthecaptainherewithtwenty-five。”
Goddedaallaiddownhisheadonthetablelikeamanashamed。
“You’rejoking。”saidWicks，purpleintheface。
“AmI？”saidTrent。“Pleaseyourselves。You’reundernocompulsion。Thisship’smine，butthere’sthatBrooksIslanddon’tbelongtome，andyoucanlaytheretillyoudieforwhatI
care。”
“It’smorethanyourbloomingbrig’sworth！”criedWicks。
“It’smypriceanyway。”returnedTrent。
“Anddoyoumeantosayyouwouldlandustheretostarve？”
criedTommy。
CaptainTrentlaughedthethirdtime。“Starve？Idefyyouto。”
saidhe。“I’llsellyoualltheprovisionsyouwantatafairprofit。”
“Ibegyourpardon，sir。”saidMac，“butmycaseisbyitselfI’mworkingmepassage；Igotnoshareinthattwothousandpoundsnornothinginmy
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