Old Gold Part 17

"Taking some of the creases out, boss. That barrel warn't big enough for a chap my size, and I feel quite curly. There's a crick in my neck, one of my legs is bent and t'other's quite screwed."

"Oh, you'll be better soon," said the first mate.

"Yes, I'm coming right again," replied the man.

"Wait till you've had a trot or two up and down Captain Banes's deck.

You'll let him, won't you, skipper?"

"Urrrr!" growled the captain.

"Oh, come, skipper, ain't it time you left off being so waxy? You can't set me ash.o.r.e, you know; so say no more about it. I'll pay handsomely for the trip."

"Don't talk to me," growled the captain. "That gentleman has chartered the brig, and it's his for as long as he likes. I can't make any bargains with you or anyone else."

"Ah, now you're talking sense, skipper. That's speaking like a man.

Well, Sir Humphrey Leigh, let's hear what you've got to say to me."

"I say that you have taken an unwarrantable liberty, and--"

"Hold hard, sir, hold hard. Let's settle that one thing first. Well, yes, I suppose it was; but here was I with all my plans made: arms, ammunition, stores, everything, man included--he is a man, you know, though he's such a dried-up little chap. How old are you, Dan?"

"Thirty last birthday, boss," said the little fellow promptly.

"There, sir. Well, that's how I was. Red-hot too to get up one of these big rivers to explore and collect everything that came in my way, but no vessel to be had. Felt as if I must get back home when I heard about you and the skipper here; and then I tried my best to get you to let me go shares in the expedition, and you wouldn't. You know you wouldn't."

"Naturally," said Sir Humphrey.

"We won't argue about that, sir. That's how I was. Amurricans when they've got a thing to do don't turn back. It goes against their grain.

Go ahead's our motto. I started to do an expedition up a South American river, and I'd got to do it--somehow: straightforward if I could; if I couldn't--back way. That's how it was with me, and here I am. It was artful, dodgy, and not square; but I couldn't help it.

There, I speak plain, and I want you now as an English gentleman to help me with the skipper here. You see, I'm a naturalist, ready for any amount of hard work, a reg'lar enthoosiast of travelling and collecting, and I'll pay my share of all expenses. That's fair, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes, that's fair," said Sir Humphrey; "but we don't want you."

"Not just now, sir; but you may. You don't know what holes you may get into up the river. Come, sir, I throw myself on your mercy. You're captain of the expedition, and I'll serve under you. Don't send me adrift now."

"Well, of all the enterprising, pus.h.i.+ng men I ever encountered--" began Sir Humphrey.

"Yes, that's it: enterprising. I am enterprising, ready to do anything to carry out the objects I have in view. Come, sir, I promise you that you shan't regret it."

Sir Humphrey frowned as he looked the American and his man over, and then turned to his brother, who shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"What do you think about this?" said Sir Humphrey.

"Don't ask me, Free," replied the young man. "I have a strong leaning towards mercy."

"But we don't like this man well enough to make him our companion."

"No, but he may improve," said Brace.

"He may get worse," said Sir Humphrey shortly.

"I hope not," said Brace. "You see, we're started, and it would be horrible to go back. We can't set him ash.o.r.e."

"Impossible!" said Sir Humphrey decisively.

"Very well then, we must take him."

"It seems as if there is no alternative," said Sir Humphrey, frowning.

"We cannot allow the captain to set him ash.o.r.e."

"He wouldn't want stopping," said Brace, laughing gently.

"You think he would not do it, Brace?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't," replied the young man. "He barks and makes a noise, but he wouldn't bite like that."

"Well, then, we must make the best of it, Brace, for I certainly will not turn back."

"Then you'll take him?"

"I shall give way to the extent of asking Captain Banes to let him go with us."

"Don't," said Brace, in a low voice, as he glanced at the American and saw that he was watching him closely.

"What! not ask him?" said Sir Humphrey. "Why, just now you were in favour of doing so."

"So I am now, Free," said Brace, drawing his brother to the side, so that they could be alone; "but I want you to take it entirely upon yourself. You've chartered the brig; and it is yours. Captain Banes is, so to speak, under your orders, you being head of this expedition."

"Quite right, Brace," replied Sir Humphrey, nodding his head, and looking satisfied with his brother's decision.

"I should act at once as if I were fully in command, and make a stern bargain with this American naturalist that if he comes with us it is, as he proposed, completely under your orders."

"Exactly," said Sir Humphrey, and the brothers walked back to where their would-be ally stood waiting patiently, and Captain Banes was giving vent to his annoyance by growling at both mates in turn, and then at the men for not being smarter over getting up the cask.

"Captain Banes," said Sir Humphrey.

"Sir to you," growled the captain.

"My brother and I have been discussing this business, and we come to the conclusion that we cannot under any circ.u.mstances return to port."

"O' course not," said the captain, nodding approval.

"But on the other hand we cannot be guilty of so inhuman an act as to set this gentleman and his servant ash.o.r.e upon a wild coast, at the risk of his life."

"Hear, hear!" cried the American, and the captain grunted.

"But, as he has chosen to take the risk and is prepared for an inland expedition, we decide that he is quite at liberty to join ours and go with us, on the condition that he follows out my orders as to what is done."