Читать книгу Pitcairn's Island. Sea Adventure Novel онлайн

60 страница из 96

“Might! Damn my eyes! I’ve spoke o’ ships because Christian’s got ships on the brain, but I’ll warrant them as stayed on Tahiti is as safe as we’ll be here. Bligh’ll never get home; Christian himself knows that. Does anyone but him think they’ll send a ship out from England, halfway round the world, to see what’s become of a little transport? Bloody likely! They’ll mark her down as lost by the act o’ God, and that’ll be the end of it.”

“Damn your blood!” said Mills, scowling at him. “Why couldn’t ye ha’ spoke like this to Christian? What’s the good o’ talkin’ of it now?”

“Didn’t I say we was daft, the lot of us? He’s made us believe what he told us, and now we’re done for.”

“I’d like to see ye with a rope around your neck, waitin’ to be hoisted aloft,” said Smith. “It’s not Christian ye’d be callin’ daft then.”

“Leave all that, lads,” said McCoy. “We’re to stop here now, and there’s an end of it.”

“And Christian’s always to have his way, is he, whatever’s done?” Martin asked.

“No, damn my eyes if he is!” Mills exclaimed. “We’re jack-tars no longer, mates! Don’t forget it! We’re to have a say here as good as his own. He’s promised it.”