H. Bedford-Jones

“ He leaned back and met the stare of Frontin with an ingenuous air. Frontin burst into a laugh, rose, and picked up the jewel of St. Louis.
"Bah! I am satisfied. Cap'n, don't be a fool; we need this man, and I like him, and the three of us shall gut the galleon of treasure. What are a few jewels, when gold is waiting to be carried off?"
Vanderberg sat back and puffed at the big calumet. Frontin crossed to the door of the chapel and vanished in the little, cold, dark room. Crawford nodded to the big pirate. ”

“ Vanderberg stared.
"Hein? What has that to do with it?"
"Everything. You will readily perceive that a man who is destitute of everything except principles, would be a fool to abandon his principles."
"The foul fiend fly away with you! Then we shall raid the coast to the south——"
"Unhappily, I have compunctions about letting English blood."
"But you are a pirate, known as such!"
"I have the name, yes, but not the honour of deserving it," said Crawford. "Reputation, my dear captain, is a bubble blown from the pipe of fools; let us disregard it. ”

“ I shall now fight for myself alone."
"Then you are going on the account?" asked Vanderberg, rather helplessly.
"Not at all. I said—fight for myself! Why should I fight for money? Why should I rob and murder in order to take other men's money and goods?"
Vanderberg swallowed hard.
"You are certainly mad!"
"No," said Crawford. "I am free."
Frontin jerked his stool forward and looked hard at Crawford.
"Now let me have my say," he said, and rubbed his long nose. "You are free, and you are also sane. You are something like Saint-Castin was once, before the king's jackal brought him to heel. ”

“ I trust that you will have no scruples in the matter of such an exchange? The Blessed Virgin, or St. Michael, or whoever is the patron of yonder chapel, will certainly profit by the trade. St. Louis for St. Michael—eh?"
Frontin compressed his lips, gazing at the jewelled star. But Vanderberg was also gazing at the same thing, with lustful and incredulous eyes, for in truth it was a jewel of great worth. Then, abruptly, Vanderberg blurted out his mind.
"Ha! Frontin—will you let him make fools of us? Leave the relic where we found it, kill him, and take these jewels. ”

“ Crawford put out a hand to the pipe beside him, filled it with kinnikinnick from the bag, held it above the candle. He relaxed again in his chair, puffing, but his eyes went to the door and then he took the pipe from his mouth, listening. Those eyes of his were startling in their alertness—light-blue eyes that fairly stabbed. His wide lips smiled, as if at his own alarm.
"The shore ice grinding, that's all," he murmured. "Folly to feel nervous here! I wish that Micmac rascal would bring the cold pasty he promised me. Wine on a stomach that has seen no food in two days is a hollow mockery." ”

“ Saint-Castin was never able to find the spot where the wreck lies, without my help; and he did not have it. Now I am on my way to that place. I shall enrich Cap'n Vanderberg and his men. Come with us and you shall be enriched also. You perceive that our reasons for coming here were sensible. What do you say?"
Crawford stood for a moment in thought.
"Why this offer?" he responded at length. "Why are you so anxious to enrich me? That, as you must agree, is neither sensible nor reasonable."
Frontin laughed gaily.
"No? Then listen. We have seventeen men including ourselves. ”

“ He whirled upon Vanderberg.
"You're caught. Get your men to the boat, quick! Wait there for me. I'll hold off and gain you plenty of time."
Seizing from the mantel the large tomahawk which he had retained as his own loot, Crawford darted from the room, leaped out into the snow, and heard the shrill whistles calling the men. A shout came from ahead, around the corner of the buildings and up the river-trail; then arose the biting Abnaki war whoop. Crawford understood that the two men so recently set as an outpost had been encountered by some of Saint-Castin's returning party. ”

“ We need one other man to keep control in our own hands. They will not go farther north, yet farther north we must go. They fear the French. They shrink from working a ship adrift with ice. But this place supplies us with food, wine, furs. On the Newfoundland coast we shall get cod in plenty; we may pick up an English ship or two, with luck. Is this sensible?"
"Eminently so," said Crawford. "You need me, it seems. Let's smoke over it."
He picked up his pipe, knocked it out, filled it with the tobacco and willow-bark. ”

“ Now, if I have need of a ship I am entirely willing to seize any French, English or pirate ship which will further my purpose. I am not willing, however, to seize a ship and kill men merely in order to commit robbery. ”