"You won't make anything out of that sort of talk with me, Don John," said Laud, mildly. "You provoke me to throw you overboard, but I don't want to hurt you."
"I'll risk your throwing me overboard. I can take care of myself."
"I said I didn't want to hurt you, and I don't. I didn't set your boat afire; I wouldn't do such a thing."
"You can tell that to Squire Peters to-morrow."
"You don't mean to say that you will prosecute me, Don John?"
"I came down from the harbor, and tacked between those two wharves," explained Laud. "I was standing off on this tack when you bunted your skiff into me. That's all I know about it."
"But I saw you on the wharf. No matter; we won't argue the case here," said Donald, as he made a movement to go into his skiff.
"Hold on, Don John. I want to talk with you a little."
"Two or three things. I am going off on a long cruise in a day or two. I think I shall go as far as Portland, and try to get a situation in a store there."
"I don't believe you will have a chance to go to Portland, or anywhere else, unless it's Thomaston, where the state prison is located."
"I didn't think you would be so rough on me, Don John. I didn't set your boat afire; but I can see that it may go hard with me, because I happened to be near the wharf at the time."
"You will find that isn't the worst of it," added Donald.
"Never mind; I'll tell Squire Peters to-morrow, when we come together."
"Don't go to law about it, Don John; for though I didn't do it, I don't want to be hauled up for it. Even a suspicion is sometimes damaging to the honor of a gentleman."
"You had better come down from that high horse, and own up that you set the Maud afire."
"Will you agree not to prosecute, if I do?" asked Laud.
Donald, after his anger subsided, thought more about the "white cross of Denmark" than he did about the fire; for the latter had done him no damage, while the former might injure his character which he valued more than his property.
"I will agree not to prosecute, if you will answer all my questions," he replied; but I confess that it was an error on the part of the young man.
Donald fastened the painter of his skiff at the stern, and took a seat in the standing-room of the Juno.
"I will tell you all I know, if you will keep me out of the courts," added Laud, promptly.