INTRODUCING MR. JOE FLAGG
knew that, and he avoided the boy's eyes for the moment. Of course, it would have been by far the easiest course to do as Flagg said, but from a purely business point of view the notion struck Tempest as being stupid. If Mr. Flagg had suddenly descended with his boat on them while they were marooned after the wreck of the Manihiki, it was very possible that Tempest would have leaped at the chance of making the little fat man a partner in the matter. But as things were, it was different. Fortune had favored them greatly by bringing them so close to the spot they were struggling to reach. Perhaps fortune would do more for them. The weather remained perfect. It would be so easy to offer a third of a possible fortune in return for this proffered assistance.
"I'm very much obliged to you," he said, after careful deliberation, "and I don't mind saying it's a big temptation, because it sounds fair; but you see, Mr. Flagg, we 've made up our minds to worry through alone. I'm not very obstinate in the
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