But it held no message for him now.

And his ears scarcely heard the raucous scolding of the blue-jay in the fire-tipped crest of the tall black spruce.
And then that something which was bigger than desire came up within him, and forced itself in words between his grimly set lips.
"She's only a--a kid," he said, a fierce, low note of defiance in his voice.

"And I--I'm a damned pirate, and there's jails waiting for me, and they'll get me sooner or later, sure as God lets me live!" He turned from the sun to his shadowing cabin, and for a moment a ghost of a smile played in his face as he heard the little mother-mouse rustling among her papers.
"We can't do it," he said.

"We simply can't do it, Mrs.Captain Kidd.
She's had hell enough without me taking her into another.

And it'd be that, sooner or later.