Though this was a powerful argument
against De Sylva's theory, it revealed certain qualms of perplexity.
The other man's brilliant eyes gleamed for an instant, but he guarded
his voice. He was in his element now. When words were weapons he
could vanquish a thousand such adversaries.
"I think otherwise," he said slowly. "A judge might well hold that in
a small vessel like the launch you were entitled to make for the
nearest land. But I grant you that point; it is really immaterial. If
I fail, you lose everything. Accept my offer, and you have a
reasonable chance of winning a fortune."
"Wot exactly is your offer?"
"Ample compensation officially. Five thousand pounds to you in person."
"Five thousand!" Coke cleared a throat husky with doubt. He scratched
his head under the absurd-looking kepi which he was still wearing; for
a moment, his lips set in grim calculation. "That 'ud make things
pretty easy for the missus an' the girls," he muttered. "An' there's
no new ship for me w'en Dickey Bulmer cocks 'is eye at Hozier. It's a
moral there'll be a holy row between 'im an' David. . . . D'ye mean
it, mister?"
"Even if I fail, and my life is spared, I will pay you the money out of
my own private funds," was the vehement reply.
"Well, well, leave the job to me.
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