"Oh, that, of course! I warned you that I'd come for the rug. It took two
years out of my young life to get that for you, and it has always haunted
me. I just told you about passions, didn't I? Once on your back, they ride
you like the devil--down-hill."
"A crook."
"There you go again--pot calling kettle black! If you want to moralize,
where's the line between the thief and the receiver? Fie on you! Dare you
hang that Da Vinci, that Dolci, that Holbein in your gallery home? No!
Stolen goods. What a passion! You sail across the seas alone, alone
because you can't satisfy your passion and have knowing companions on
board. When the yacht goes out of commission you store the loot, and
tremble when you hear a fire alarm. All right. Dinner at seven. I'll go
and liberate your son and the lady."
"Cunningham, I will kill you out of hand the very first chance."
"Old dear, I'll add a fact for your comfort. There will be guns on board,
but half an hour gone all the ammunition was dumped into the Whangpoo. So
you won't have anything but your boson's whistle. You're a bigger man than
I am physically, and I've a slue-foot, a withered leg; but I've all the
barroom tricks you ever heard of. So don't make any mistakes in that
direction. You are free to come and go as you please; but the moment you
start any rough house, into your cabin you go, and you'll stay there
until we raise the Catwick. You haven't a leg to stand on."
Cunningham lurched out of the salon and into the passage. He opened the
door to Cabin Two and turned on the light. Dennison blinked stupidly.
Cunningham liberated him and stood back.
"Dinner at seven."
"What the devil are you doing on board?" asked Dennison, thickly.
"Well, here's gratitude for you! But in order that there will be no
misunderstanding, I've turned to piracy for a change. Great sport! I've
chartered the yacht for a short cruise." His banter turned into cold,
precise tones. Cunningham went on: "No nonsense, captain! I put this crew
on board away back in New York. Those beads, though having a merit of
their own, were the lure to bring your father to these parts. Your
presence and Miss Norman's are accidents for which I am genuinely sorry.
But frankly, I dare not turn you loose. That's the milk in the cocoanut. I
grant you the same privileges as I grant your father, which he has
philosophically agreed to accept. Your word of honour to take it sensibly,
and the freedom of the yacht is yours. Otherwise, I'll lock you up in a
place not half so comfortable as this."