“Since it is so,” he replied, “hear me in my turn, mother,—I remain!”
“Ha! ha!”
“Not in this house. I shall be assassinated by Nicholas, or poisoned by Calabash. But, as I have no means of lodging elsewhere, I and the children will occupy the hovel at the end of the island; the door of that is strong, and I will make it still more secure. Once there, I will barricade myself, and, with my gun, my stick, and my dog, I am afraid of no one. To-morrow morning I will take the children with me. During the day they will be with me, either in my boat or elsewhere; and, at night, they shall sleep near me in the hovel. We can live on the fish I catch until I find some means of placing them, and find it I will.”
“Oh! That’s it, is it?”
“Neither you, nor my brother, nor Calabash can prevent this, c
