Last night, you know, Peppo had toothache all night
and couldn't sleep, so this afternoon I took his place in the kitchen
while he went up to have a nap in his hammock. He just came and told
me that he had overheard Redbeard plotting some dreadful thing against
us. Peppo couldn't understand it all, but he got this much, that at
the island to which we are coming today, or at the latest tomorrow
morning, he is going to send you ashore for drinking water. He has let
the water leak out of the casks. 'When Green goes ashore,' he said, 'I
haven't a doubt in the world but that the young one, who stands in your
way, will want to go with him, and the little Chinaman, whom I do not
trust, will also want to go--We can just send them, even if you don't
hanker after this plan. And--well--if they don't come back, why the
wild Soloman Islanders will know what to do with them.' Peppo heard
the first officer say this."
"Oh, the traitor!" said Green. "And so he is going to furnish the
cannibals with a nice juicy stew for their pots, is he? And pray tell,
what did that nice uncle of yours, the Captain, say to all this?"
"At first he would not listen to a word of it; then Redfox threatened
him with something which Peppo could not understand, and at last he
said, 'Oh, you are my bad angel.
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