BARTLETT--[_With mad satisfaction._] Aye, ye be seein’ the way o’ it,
boy. It was just then we sighted the schooner that picked us up after.
We made a map and was burryin’ the gold when we noticed them two thieves
sneakin’ about to see where we’d hide it. I saw ’em plain, the scum!
That thief o’ a cook was thinkin’ he’d tell the folks on the schooner
and go shares with them--and leave us on the island to rot; or he was
thinkin’ he and the boy’d be able to come back and dig it up afore I
could. We had to do somethin’ quick to spile their plan afore the
schooner come. [_In a tone of savage satisfaction._] And so--though I
spoke no word to him--Jimmy knifed ’em both and covered ’em up with
sand. But I spoke no word, d’ye hear? Their deaths be on Jimmy’s head
alone.
NAT--[_Passionately._] And what if you had? They deserved what they got.
BARTLETT--Then ye think I did no wrong?
NAT--No! Any man--I’d have done the same myself.
BARTLETT--[_Gripping his son’s hand tensely._] Ye be true son o’ mine,
Nat. I ought to told ye before. [_Exultantly._] Ye hear, Sarah? Nat says
I done no wrong.
NAT--The map! Can I see it?
BARTLETT--Aye. [_He hands it to_ NAT _who spreads it out on the table
and pores over it_.]
NAT--[_Excitedly._] Why, with this I--we--can go back--even if the Sarah
Allen is lost.
BARTLETT--She ain’t lost, boy--not her. Don’t heed them lies ye been
hearin’. She’s due now. I’ll go up and look. [_He goes up the
companionway stairs._ NAT _does not seem to notice his going, absorbed
in the map. Then there is a loud muffled hail in_ BARTLETT’S _voice_.]
“Sarah Allen, ahoy!” [NAT _starts, transfixed--then rushes to one of the
portholes to look. He turns back, passing his hand over his eyes,
frowning bewilderedly. The door above is flung open and slammed shut
and_ BARTLETT _stamps down the stairs_.]
BARTLETT--[_Fixing_ NAT _hypnotically with his eyes--triumphantly_.]
What did I tell ye? D’ye believe now she’ll come back? D’ye credit your
own eyes?