It's a mysterious little conversation, isn't it, the one Charlotte overhears on her first night on board the Seahawk? The Second Mate, Mr. Keetch, is speaking to an unknown man, telling him that Charlotte is the only one he “could get to come.” “What does this mean?” we readers ask ourselves. The unknown man responds, “Quite all right, Mr. Keetch. If there has to be only one, she's the trump. With her as witness, they'll not dare to move. I'm well satisfied” (chapter 2). The reply leaves us with more questions than answers, and since we don't receive any firm answers for quite some time, we are likely to forget this little conversation over the next few chapters as we focus on Charlotte's adventures. But what does this exchange actually mean?

To answer this question, we must know who is speaking, whom they are speaking about, and what they are discussing. First, as the story moves along, we realize that Mr. Keetch is most likely speaking to Captain Jaggery, for the Captain is the only person aboard ship, other than Charlotte, who speaks with such a formal tone, saying things like “quite all right” and “I'm well satisfied.” We don't hear phrases like this coming from any member of the crew; their language is rougher and less proper. We discover much later in the book that our inference is correct. The unknown man is indeed Captain Jaggery.

Second, to understand this conversation, we must know whom the Captain and Mr. Keetch are speaking about. Who is the “them” and the “they” mentioned? Logically, since there is no one else on the Seahawk other than the two speakers, Charlotte, and the crew, we can figure out that “them” and “they” must refer to at least some members of the crew. Mr. Keetch gives us a clue already when he speaks of “them looking on,” for we should recall that earlier in chapter 2, we witnessed a conversation between Charlotte, Mr. Keetch, and Mr. Grummage, and when Charlotte turns around, she sees “a few wretched sailors” listening in.

Third, and here is the most difficult part, we need to understand what the Captain and Mr. Keetch are discussing. What is this move? What is Charlotte supposed to witness? We get our first clue from Zachariah when he tells Charlotte that the crew is planning revenge upon Captain Jaggery for his mistreatment of his crews and for his brutal punishment of Mr. Cranick (chapter 5). Are we paying attention when Zachariah is speaking? Do we remember the conversation Charlotte heard only a few days before? Or, like Charlotte, have we already forgotten all about it? If we remember, if Charlotte had remembered, we would realize that the Captain was afraid that the crew would make their “move”—take their revenge—and we would understand that the Captain is hoping that Charlotte's presence on the Seahawk, as a witness to whatever happens on the voyage (and an important witness at that, as her father's company owns the ship), will prevent the crew from carrying out their plans.

Only much later, and nearly too late, does Charlotte remember and fully understand this conversation. When she does, the whole picture of her adventures aboard the Seahawk becomes clear (see the end of chapter 20 and the beginning of chapter 21). Isn't it amazing how important one little overheard conversation can be?