The latter was known as a greedy scoundrel, who would take much and give little, being inclined, moreover, to cheat his shipmates out of even that little if the chance came to him.

Even Black Paul, who was an old comrade of Big Sam--the two having done much wickedness together--paid no heed to his present treasons.
"Let the old fool alone," he said; "we fare well, and our lives are easy, having three men to do the work of one.

So say I, let us sail on and make merry with his good rum; his money-chest is heavy yet." "That's what I'm thinking of," said the sailing-master.

"Why should I be coursing about here looking for prizes with that chest within reach of my very arm whenever I choose it ?" Black Paul grinned and said to himself: "It is your arm, old Sam, that I am afraid of." Then aloud: "No, let him go.

Let us profit by our good treatment as long as it lasts, and then we will talk about the money-box." Thus Big Sam found that his time had not arrived, and he swore in his soul that his old shipmate would some day rue that he had not earlier stood by him in his treacherous schemes.
So all went on without open discontent, and Bonnet, having sailed northward for some days, set his course to the southeast, with some hundred and fifty eyes wide open for the sight of a heavy-sailing merchantman.
One morning they sighted a brig sailing southward, but as she was of no great size and not going in the right direction to make it probable that she carried a cargo worth their while, they turned westward and ran towards Cuba.