The island was a bare two days' sail from the "other place," and Thalassa proposed to hire a cutter on the mainland and sail over to it.

He was no navigator, but he could find his way back to that island again at any time.
Turold seemed inclined to agree, but Remington put in another of his sharp questions.

Why did he want to bring two strangers into the business?
What was to prevent him getting the diamonds on his own account, without sharing with anybody?
Thalassa replied that he had no money to finance the expedition, and even if he got the diamonds they'd be no use to him.

How could a rough seaman like himself, who could hardly write his own name, turn the stones into the large sum of money they represented?
That was an enterprise which called for civilized qualities of education and address which he did not possess.

From his standpoint it was an even deal between them.