"
"I know they're mine; I'd stake my life on it!" Mr. Taft snorted.
"Prove it," challenged the tall man, who we afterward learned was
known as "The Porpoise" because of his wonderful swimming
abilities.
Mr. Taft shrugged his shoulders helplessly. Of course he could not
prove the oysters to be his, no matter how certain he might be.
"I'd give a thousand dollars to have you men behind the bars!" he
cried. "I'll give fifty dollars a head for your arrest and
conviction, all of you!"
A roar of laughter went up from the different boats, for the rest
of the pirates had been listening to the discussion.
"There's more money in oysters," the Porpoise remarked dryly.
Mr. Taft turned impatiently on his heel and walked away. From out
of the corner of his eye, Charley noted the way he went. Several
minutes later, when he had disappeared around a corner, Charley
rose lazily to his feet. I followed him, and we sauntered off in
the opposite direction to that taken by Mr. Taft.
"Come on! Lively!" Charley whispered, when we passed from the view
of the oyster fleet.
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