They was the roughest crew afloat , was Flint 's ; the devil himself would have been feared to go to sea with them . Well now , I tell you , I 'm not a boasting man , and you seen yourself how easy I keep company , but when I was quartermaster , LAMBS was n't the word for Flint 's old buccaneers . Ah , you may be sure of yourself in old John 's ship . '' `` Well , I tell you now , '' replied the lad , `` I did n't half a quarter like the job till I had this talk with you , John ; but there 's my hand on it now . '' `` And a brave lad you were , and smart too , '' answered Silver , shaking hands so heartily that all the barrel shook , `` and a finer figurehead for a gentleman of fortune I never clapped my eyes on . '' By this time I had begun to understand the meaning of their terms . By a `` gentleman of fortune '' they plainly meant neither more nor less than a common pirate , and the little scene that I had overheard was the last act in the corruption of one of the honest hands -- perhaps of the last one left aboard . But on this point I was soon to be relieved , for Silver giving a little whistle , a third man strolled up and sat down by the party . `` Dick 's square , '' said Silver . `` Oh , I know 'd Dick was square , '' returned the voice of the coxswain , Israel Hands . `` He 's no fool , is Dick . '' And he turned his quid and spat . `` But look here , '' he went on , `` here 's what I want to know , Barbecue : how long are we a-going to stand off and on like a blessed bumboat ? I 've had a ` most enough o ' Cap'n Smollett ; he 's hazed me long enough , by thunder ! I want to go into that cabin , I do . I want their pickles and wines , and that . '' `` Israel , '' said Silver , `` your head ai n't much account , nor ever was . But you 're able to hear , I reckon ; leastways , your ears is big enough . Now , here 's what I say : you 'll berth forward , and you 'll live hard , and you 'll speak soft , and you 'll keep sober till I give the word ; and you may lay to that , my son . '' `` Well , I do n't say no , do I ? ''
growled the XXXXX .
Hands Silver buccaneers bumboat coxswain figurehead leastways quarter quid third