Day after day he stood to watch John's gun-crews at their drill and ordered extra rum for those most apt and zealous; he did the same with the musketeers, thereafter planning with Sir Benjamin and Sir George how best to station them for close fighting, and how they should give fire, rank by rank, one file to shoot while the other reloaded.
He chose the most splendid of the armour, and this of black steel richly damascened with gold, its close-fitting burgonet adorned with scarlet plume,—all of which he had conveyed to his cabin and placed in charge of Smidge, to the boy's tremulous delight.
Thus as he stood of a certain morning, glass at eye, sweeping the vague distances, came Sir George new-risen, for it was early.
"Good-morrow, Adam!" said he, stifling a yawn. "D'ye never sleep? Last thing at night and first in the morning and always o' late with that glass at your eye. Why are you forever on the watch,—what is it you look for?"
"Ships!" answered Adam, laying by his glass. "Ships, George, for this is the Main, and we should fall in with plenty anon, and if Spanish I would speak her on account of Don Luiz, according to promise and also ... seek news of Absalom and ... Ay indeed I would fain question every ship 'twixt here and the Barbados."
"Nay but, Adam, remembering we are so rich laden,—how if we sight one of these damned pirate vessels?"
"Then she'll sight us, George, and know us instantly for Spanish treasure ship by our mere rig and bravery o' paint, so must we fight or run."
"And what should you do, Adam?"
"Both, George."
"Now how in reason can that be?"
"And moreover," said Adam, his gaze on the distance, "I've an odd feeling, George, a strange premonition, or say foreboding, we are destined run foul o' the Joyous Lark, soon or late."
"God forbid!" exclaimed Sir George, with fervour.
"As you say, George. And yet ... if God permit I shall do my best to her absolute destruction."
"How then, you'd risk——?"
"Everything, George, to such good purpose, and my own life first of all."
"But, Lord love you, Adam, this would be——"
"Our duty, George."
"No no, Adam, I was about to say stupendous folly! With such crew as ours all untried in fight 'twould be adventure wild and quite impossible."
"Ay verily," nodded Adam, "duty often seems so ... yet I hold few things to be impossible. Now tell me, talking of this Joyous Lark have you had word with the Spanish lady o' late, the poor, gentle soul?"
"She keeps very close, Adam, and small wonder. But last night she being on deck for breath of air with the young Don, I ventured to bow and pay my respects, whereat she tried to speak, but fell a-weeping instead, and so left us, very pitiful."
"Ay truly," sighed Adam, "the Joyous Lark hath left its foul brand upon her soul, ay and others beside, and will again—except such evil be destroyed."
"If ye please, gentlemen," piped Smidge, appearing at this moment with his usual suddenness, "Jimbo says as breakfast be awaiting for you t' eat."
"Why then, lead on, my seadog, and eat we will, eh, George?"
"Faith yes, I'm ravenous! And by this same token, Jimbo is very excellent cook."
"Ay, and a man, George."
It was this same morning, after a busy hour or so with his musketeers, that Sir Benjamin, puffing and blowing and somewhat pettish because of the heat, clambered to the poop where Adam paced, his eyes questing as usual to windward.
"Adam," quoth he, mopping tanned visage, "I'm a dog,—I say I'm a lewdly-yapping cur if ye don't work us plaguey hard and beyond all reason!"
"Ay I do, Ben, yet with purpose very reasonable!"
"Well now, Adam, I'm here to know just what precisely is your reason that I and all men aboard must so labour and sweat, sweat and labour till, what with our so laborious sweat, we might as well be sweating again at cursed labour aboard that thrice blasted galleasse! Come now, what's your reason, in a word? Pronounce!"
"In a word, Ben, safety."
"Ha, safety is it? Now if you mean our hellish rogues, these imps o' Satan and spawn o' the devil, our rascal crew,—eh, Adam?"
"Ay, ay, my Benjamin."
"Then I protest there is no reason, for since you killed Vardon they're tame enough."
"And to keep 'em so, I work them, Ben."
"Ay, but lookee, Adam, thou'rt turning this galleon into very ship o' war on tip-toe for bloody strife, 'stead o' peaceful trader speeding for port to be our fortune."
"I am," nodded Adam, grimly, "I am indeed! This Santissima Trinidad shall be death and destruction to any dare attack."
"Well and good, Adam! But—having proper regard to her so precious cargo that is to be our future good, our joy, ease, luxury and Old England, indeed the summit of our hopes, and crown of our ambitions, minding all o' this, thou'lt run no least chance of attack but run therefrom rather, ay at first glimpse of strange sail, you'll bear up and stand away on opposite course, like wise man and prudent commander, eh, Adam, eh?"
"As you say, Ben. Though I'd have you remember how this ship is heavy on her helm and something slow, whiles these Spanish warships and pirate vessels are rigged and built for speed."
"Ay, and choke-full o' fighting-men, Adam, whereas we, alas, are undermanned! Now minding this and our cargo and the very desperate courage o' these vile pirates, I say far better run than fight—to risk our lives and so much beside,—eh, Adam?"
"As thou sayest, my Benjamin."
"Ay, I do, but—hell and furies, man,—what say you?"
"Well, I say we are a floating lure to every pirate and buccaneer in the Main, Ben, for with our paint and gilding we are treasure ship right manifest. We are Spanish from trucks to waterline, and Spanish we'll seem, yet fight like Englishmen if need be."
"No no, Adam,—talk not o' fight, 'tis a naughty word and likes me not—with so much treasure below. To fight with naught to gain and all to lose were merest crass folly, and very damnable fool's ploy. As a beggar with all to gain I'll fight the world, but as rich man with all to lose I'll flee so fast from danger that my nether man shall be hid in the dust o' my going. So, Adam, like most wise and sapient commander, you'll turn and run at first sight of any sail, come now! Promise me this in holy Friendship's sacred name."
"Ben, you shall see us clap on every inch o' canvas we can carry, though, as I say, she is a slow ship, built rather for strength and comfort than speed!"
"Howbeit, I take marvellous comfort in thy promise, Adam, to flee all hazard o' battle or loss thereby of our treasure. Ay, here's comfort. So now, being parched wi' very sweatful labour, I'll go quaff a cup or so o' wine to our safe and speedy anchorage at Port Royal, eh Adam?"
"Ay, Ben, go drink to thine own prosperity. Take all comfort for thy share o' the pelf ... this loot, this damned gold and the curse of it."
"Hey? The curse, says you?"
"Ay I do. 'Tis curse and plague say I. For there is no curse in all this world like love o' gold and the fear of losing it, can so blight the soul to the begetting of avarice, fear, hate and murder."
"Eh ... eh ... what?" gasped Sir Benjamin, "I protest you ... you shock me ... very damnably! Now lay me bleeding if I ever heard the like o' this! All I can say is ... smite me deaf, blind and dumb if——"
"No no!" said Adam, with one of his rare laughs. "A dumb Benjamin would be beyond nature and therefore impossible!"
Sir Benjamin glared, snorted and strode away to appease his consuming thirst forthwith; but scarce had he gulped the wine Jimbo had poured than from above rose that most arresting cry: