He went off toward the forecastle hitching at his trousers and whistling an old English song of the Spanish Main.

As for Black McTee, he remained staring after Hovey with a rising thought of perjury.

The loot of the _Heron_ was a deep temptation, and his pledged word to the bos'n was a strong bond, for as Hovey had said, the honor of Black McTee, in spite of his other failings, was respected throughout the South Seas.

For one purpose, however, he would have sacrificed all hopes of plunder and a thousand plighted words, and that purpose was the undoing of Harrigan in the eyes of Kate.
She had grown into a necessity to him.

Though were she twice as beautiful, he would never have paid her the dangerous honor of a second glance under ordinary conditions, but their life together on the island and his rivalry with Harrigan for her sake had made her infinitely dear to him.
Seeing the opportunity to destroy all her respect for Harrigan, he schemed instantly to betray his word to Hovey.