“Reddy, he’ll kill you!” I went on, seeing that I was on the right track, and that fear of death at Thirkle’s hands was uppermost in his mind.

He had caught enough in Thirkle’s manner since the death of Buckrow to see that he was not going to get a just division of the loot, at the very least, and, knowing the ruthlessness of his master, he had doubts about escaping with his life.  Besides, I believed he had been tempted by the thought that he might kill Thirkle and then have it all to himself.

“He told Long Jim to kill you?  Don’t you see the way the devil had it planned to get rid of you?  He planned to kill you all, once he had this gold on the island.  You should never have come back after I shot Long Jim.  Why did you come back?  You know he’ll kill you.”

“I wanted to see where they hide the gold, that’s what.  Then, when I raised you there in the grass it come in my head to grab ye, and come in for my share of the gold, seeing Long Jim was done for.”

His friendly mood encouraged me, but, if I let him ramble on with his own affairs, I would not be able to convince him that Thirkle was plotting to slay him.  So I began with him again.

“Thirkle will kill the both of us.  You heard what he said about being a gentleman.  He has been an officer in the navy, Reddy, and he won’t want you or any other man to know he was a pirate when he goes back to London.  He wouldn’t feel safe if he let you live.  He cares no more for you than he did for Buckrow or Long Jim—­you ought to know that.”

“Oh, Thirkle is all right,” he said in a way that exasperated me.

“He wouldn’t look at you twice in London or anywhere else.  He’ll rid himself of you as soon as he needs you no more, which will be as soon as the gold is stowed and he has a boat in the water.  Now is your chance if you ever had it.”

“Thirkle is all right.”

“He had it planned to kill Buckrow.  Then he argued the two of you into letting him go.  Can’t you see that he is playing the game to have it all for himself?  Are you going to be a fool all your life, man?”

“Then ye’d do for me after I done for him,” he said.

“Give me a gun and cut me loose and I’ll shoot him myself and I’ll see that you get your share of the gold, which you won’t from him.  You can have it all if you’ll let me kill him, and if he kills me you can say I cut my hands loose and grabbed a gun.  You don’t stand to lose anything—­come on.  Cut me loose and I’ll take the chance you don’t dare to.”

“Thirkle’s all right,” he droned, picking up the sack again.  “I know your game—­ye want to do for the both of us and have it all for yourself.  Fine job that would be!  Nice I’d look givin’ you a gun, wouldn’t I!  Lay on that sack.”

“He’s all very pleasant now,” I went on as I stooped for the rope.  “Wait until he has finished with us and the gold is packed, and then see what will happen—­you’ll wish you had listened to me.”