"Six months already," he said in his gutter tongue. "Is it now? You listen a me, lousy gods. I talkin' a deal, is all. I look again, sweet prayer-men. If it's a ship, I'm yours. You own me. But if it's a gaff, man... if it's no ship I unseal right now and blow my guts. We both ballast level, us. Now reach me the sign, yes or no, is all."