All I
ask is that you do me one favor first."
"That shall debend on wad der vafour has been."
"Captain, I've done a worse thing aboard your ship than any of
you know. I have become engaged to be married, and I want to say
good-by!"
I suppose we were all equally amazed; but the only one to express
his amazement was von Heumann, whose deep-chested German oath was
almost his first contribution to the proceedings. He was not
slow to follow it, however, with a vigorous protest against the
proposed farewell; but he was overruled, and the masterful
prisoner had his way. He was to have five minutes with the girl,
while the captain and Mackenzie stood within range (but not
earshot), with their revolvers behind their backs. As we were
moving from the cabin, in a body, he stopped and gripped my hand.
"So I 've let you in at last, Bunny--at last and after all! If
you knew how sorry I am. . . . But you won't get much--I don't
see why you should get anything at all. Can you forgive me? This
may be for years, and it may be for ever, you know! You were a
good pal always when it came to the scratch; some day or other
you mayn't be so sorry to remember you were a good pal at the
last!"
There was a meaning in his eye that I understood; and my teeth
were set, and my nerve strung ready, as I wrung that strong and
cunning hand for the last time in my life.
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