"
"But his food and drink?"
"It's a roomy chest, sir, and he may have some provisions stowed away.
As to his drink, he had a friend among the crew upon the brig who saw
that he had what he needed."
"You think, then, that the label asking people not to open the box was
simply written in his interest?"
"Yes, sir, that is my idea. Have you any other way of explaining the
facts?"
I had to confess that I had not.
"The question is what we are to do?" I asked.
"The man's a dangerous ruffian, who sticks at nothing. I'm thinking it
wouldn't be a bad thing to put a rope round the chest and tow it
alongside for half an hour; then we could open it at our ease. Or if we
just tied the box up and kept him from getting any water maybe that
would do as well. Or the carpenter could put a coat of varnish over it
and stop all the blow-holes."
"Come, Allardyce," said I, angrily. "You don't seriously mean to say
that a whole ship's company are going to be terrorised by a single man
in a box. If he's there, I'll engage to fetch him out!" I went to my
room and came back with my revolver in my hand. "Now, Allardyce," said
I, "do you open the lock, and I'll stand on guard."
"For God's sake, think what you are doing, sir!" cried the mate. "Two
men have lost their lives over it, and the blood of one not yet dry upon
the carpet.
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