"You did," agreed Tagg again.

"Gun-running!" repeated von Kerber, "You mean carrying contraband arms,
yes? What put that into your head?"

"I've not bin cap'n of a ship nigh on fifteen years without larnin' the
importance of knowin' wot she's loaded with," said Stump. "Big or
little, in package or bulk, I go through her manifest, an' cheek, it,
too."

The Baron laughed softly. He was pale, probably as the result' of his
wounds, but he was inflexible in his resolve to arrive at an
understanding with his lieutenants before the remaining passengers put
in an appearance.

"_Ganz gut, herr capitan!_" he cried. "You must have seen our supply of
firearms and cartridges, yes?"

"Twenty rifles, twenty-five revolvers, an' enough ammunition to fight a
small war." Stamp ticked off each item slowly and looked at Tagg as
though he expected him to cry "Tally!"

"Ah! That is well put, yes? If we are called on to fight a small war,
as you say, have we got the right sort of men on board? I had to trust
to chance. It was the only way. I could not talk plainly in England,
you see."

"I don't know much about 'em," said Stump. "I can answer for myself an'
Tagg, an' from wot I hear, Mr. King has a heart of the right size. As