58                                    KIDNAPPED.
"Admitting that you have been paid to do a
murder------" he began.
Hoseason turned upon him with a flash.
"What's that?" he cried. "What kind of talk is
that?"
"It seems it is the talk that you can understand,"
said Mr. Riach, looking him steadily in the face.
"Mr. Riach, I have sailed with ye three cruises,"
replied the captain. " In all that time, sir, ye should
have learned to know me : I'm a stiff man, and a dour
man; but for what ye say the now-fie, fie !-it comes
from a bad heart and a black conscience. If ye say the
lad will die-----"
"Ay, will he!" said Mr. Riach.
"Well, sir, is not that enough?" said Hoseason.
"Flit him where ye please!"
Thereupon the captain ascended the ladder; and I,
who had lain silent throughout this strange conversa-
tion, beheld Mr. Riach turn after him and bow as low
as to his knees in what was plainly a spirit of derision.
Even in my then state of sickness, I perceived two
things: that the mate was touched with liquor, as the
captain hinted, and that (drunk or sober) he was like to
prove a valuable friend.
Five minutes afterwards my bonds were cut, I was
hoisted on a man's back, carried up to the forecastle,
and laid in a bunk on some sea-blankets; where the first
thing that I did was to lose my senses.
It was a blessed thing indeed to open my eyes again