Part 18 (1/2)
”Of course--of course,” cried the American. ”Hear, Mr Skipper?”
”Oh, yes, I hear,” said the captain.
”Then that is settled,” said Sir Humphrey. ”Mr Briscoe, I trust that in the future we shall be better friends.”
”No fear of that, sir,” said the American quietly. ”Sir Humphrey, you're a gentleman. Mr Brace, you're another. It's going to be acts now, not words. I only say thankye, and I want you and your plucky young brother to believe me when I say you shan't repent your bargain a bit.”
”I believe I shall not, sir,” said Sir Humphrey gravely.
”As for you, Captain Banes,” continued the new member of the expedition, ”I'm going to show you that I'm not such a ruffian as you think. And now, gentlemen, as I haven't had a wink of sleep for two nights, I'm going to ask the skipper to let me have a berth and to give orders for my man here to be furnished with a bunk. I've kept it up, gentlemen, as long as I could, but now I'm dead-beat. I've been asleep in my legs for long enough. Now it has crept up from my waist to my chest, and it's attacking my head. In another ten minutes I shall be insensible, and when I shall wake again is more than I know, so I'll say at once: Thank you all--all round, and good night.”
A little difficulty arose as to a berth; but this was soon solved by the second mate giving up his in favour of a mattress upon the cabin floor, and the brothers were left alone with the captain, who preserved an ominous silence, till Brace spoke half-laughingly:
”You don't like the new arrangement, captain?”
There was a grunt. Then:
”Put that and that together, squire, would you if you were in command of this brig?”
”Certainly not,” said Brace quickly; ”but I shouldn't have put the poor fellows ash.o.r.e.”
The captain mumbled a little, and by the light of the swinging lanthorn Brace caught a gleam of white teeth, and knew that he was laughing.
”That was what he'd call bunk.u.m, and we call bounce, squire. Of course I shouldn't have put him ash.o.r.e. But I felt as if I meant to when I said it.”
”Then you are not so very much dissatisfied, captain?” said Sir Humphrey.
”Yes, I am, sir, for I don't like to be bested. No man does, especially by one of these clever 'Merican chaps. For they are clever, there's no getting over that.”
”I don't like that either,” said Sir Humphrey; ”but it's evident that this man is an enthusiast in travel and natural history.”
”Oh, yes, sir; but why don't he go and enthoose in somebody else's vessel? I'm afraid you've been cutting us out an awkward job to get on with that customer.”
”I hope not,” said Sir Humphrey. ”He promises very fairly.”
”Yes, sir, but will he perform? You see, if he was an Englishman he might, but I never knew an American yet who liked to play second fiddle in anything. But there, sir, you're chief, and I don't see how, short of going back again to set him ash.o.r.e, you could have done anything else.”
”Thank you, captain,” said Sir Humphrey. ”I did what I thought was best under the circ.u.mstances.”
”You did, sir. Squire here--Mr Brace--thought I was going to turn rusty, I suppose.”
”I did,” said Brace.
”Yes, but I wasn't. I blaze up a bit when I'm put out, gentlemen, but I soon settle down into a steady warm glow, and keep within the bars.”
”Then there's an end of an awkward episode, captain,” said Sir Humphrey.
”I was afraid at one time that we were going to have a tragedy.”
”So was I, sir,” said the captain sharply. ”It's a mercy that ugly-looking yellow monkey of a chap was not smothered in that cask. My word! he must be a plucky fellow!”