Old Gold Part 5

"s.h.i.+p ahoy, there! What cheer, oh? Morning, sir," came from the brig, and Captain Banes, who had just come on deck, took off his hat and waved it, but stopped suddenly as he made out who was Brace Leigh's companion.

"Morning, skipper!" cried the latter.

"Morning, sir, morning," shouted the captain gruffly, and then, turning sharply round, he began to give orders to the crew, which were immediately followed by sounds of holystone upon the already white boards, and splas.h.i.+ng of water as buckets came over the side and were hauled up again.

"Don't seem as if he's going to ask us aboard," said the American.

"No," replied Brace, smiling. "Which way are you going, sir, because I am going to stroll along by those sugar-warehouses and back to the hotel on the other side."

"That's just my way; so I'll walk with you. Ah, here's the sun. Going to be another stinging hot day."

"It's hot already," said Brace, whose cheeks were beginning to tingle at the man's persistency.

"Yes, it is hot, and--I say, ain't that your brother coming this way?"

"Yes," said Brace eagerly, and he uttered a sigh of relief as he felt that an unpleasant business would be brought to an end at once.

He soon saw that there was a frown on his brother's brow, and Sir Humphrey's voice told plainly what he felt upon the stranger attacking him at once about the business he had in hand.

He heard him courteously to the end, and then, with a few words of sympathy for the disappointment he was causing, plainly told the applicant that his proposal was quite out of the question.

"Humph!" said the American. "Well, I don't like it, mister. I've come all this way to go up one of these rivers, and I don't mean to be put off. They're as free for me as for you."

"Quite so," said Sir Humphrey, "and you will go your way while I go mine."

"Ye-e-es, but it seems a pity. I like you two gentlemen, and I don't think you'd find much harm in me."

"I have nothing against you, Mr--Mr--"

"Don't you mind about the 'mister.' My name's P Franklyn Briscoe, squire, and I should like to be friends with you."

"So you shall be," said Sir Humphrey, smiling, "for I promise you I will not quarrel."

"Then you'll make a bargain of it?" cried the American eagerly.

"Decidedly not, Mr Briscoe," said Sir Humphrey firmly. "Make up an expedition of your own, sir: and I wish, you success."

"But we should do so much better, squire, if we joined hands."

"Possibly, sir, but I must decline to enter into any kind of partners.h.i.+p."

"With a stranger, eh?"

"Well, yes, with a stranger. Once more, sir, I wish you success."

"I'm a very useful sort of man, squire."

"That I do not doubt; but I prefer to take my own journey my own way."

"Wouldn't stop to pick me up, I suppose, if you found me drowning or starving, eh?"

"I hope I have an Englishman's share of humanity towards a fellow-man in distress, sir," said Sir Humphrey coldly; "but on your own showing you have a goodly supply of necessaries and ample funds for prosecuting your journey."

"Well, yes, tidy."

"Then once more good morning. Come, Brace, my lad, I daresay we can get some breakfast now."

Sir Humphrey bowed to the American and turned away, followed by his brother, after the latter had saluted the stranger, who stood looking after them.

"All right," he said. "People don't take to me don't like my ways, I suppose: I thought I was as polite as a man could be. But if you keep on whittling you're sure to get through the stick: whether it take a long time or a short time, PFB, my friend, depends upon the blade. Now, is your blade a sharp one, or will it only cut cheese if you put a lot of strength into the stroke? Well, we shall see."

Before the brothers had finished their meal Captain Banes was ash.o.r.e, and an earnest conversation ensued about ways and means.

"Let's see," said the captain; "what about your luggage and stores? You haven't much, gentlemen?"

"Indeed, but we have," said Brace: "tons."

"Oh, that's nothing."

"I think you will say it is something when you see," said Brace. "We have stores of all kinds to last for a couple of years if necessary."

"Then you have plenty of ammunition, I suppose?"

"Plenty," said Sir Humphrey. "In fact, we brought everything we could think necessary. When will you have it on board?"

"Some time this afternoon, gentlemen. I shall warp in alongside the wharf so as to get it under hatches easily. The sooner it's aboard the better. I'll give orders to the mate, and he'll see to that while I arrange about what fresh stores are necessary. That won't take long."

"Then you propose sailing soon?" said Sir Humphrey.

"Yes, sir, as soon as you like. We can settle our little business affairs in five minutes, or I can take your word. That's enough for me."

"Thank you, Captain Banes," said Sir Humphrey gravely; "but I should prefer you to draw up a business letter that would be binding upon us both."

"Very well, sir: it shall be done."

"But what about your mate and the crew?" said Brace.

"Oh, I had a talk to them last night, sir."

"You mean that they are willing to come?"

"They all look upon it as a holiday, sir, and are as pleased as can be."

"But they've not seen us yet," said Sir Humphrey.

"What, sir?" cried the captain, laughing. "They all came ash.o.r.e as soon as I'd told 'em about you, and crept up to the open window of the room where you two gentlemen sat talking by the lighted lamp."

"Indeed?" cried Brace. "I did not hear them."