Part 80 (1/2)
”The Reverend-- Je--rusalem!”
”May I ask what is your name, sir?”
”Wal, I reckon you may, stranger. I'm Joshua Fullalove from the States, at present located on the island of Juan Fernandez!”
”Joshua Fullalove! That is lucky. I've got something that belongs to you.”
He looked about and found the harpoon, and handed it up in a mighty straightforward, simple way.
Joshua stared at him incredulously at first, but afterward with amazement. He handled the harpoon, and inquired where Robert had fallen in with it. Robert told him.
”You're an honest man,” said Fullalove, ”you air. Come aboard.” He was then pleased to congratulate himself on his strange luck in having drifted across an honest man in the middle of the ocean. ”I've heerd,”
said he, ”of an old chap as groped about all his life with a lantern, and couldn't find one. Let's liquor.”
He had some celestial mixture or other made, including rum, mint, and snow from the Andes, and then began his interrogatories, again disclaiming curiosity at set intervals.
”Whither bound, honest man?”
”The coast of Chili.”
”What for?”
”Trade.”
”D'ye buy or sell? Not that it is my business.”
”I wish to sell.”
”What's the merchandise?”
”Knowledge, and treasure.”
Fullalove scratched his head. ”Hain't ye got a few conundrums to swap for gold dust as well?”
Robert smiled faintly. The first time this six weeks.
”I have to sell the knowledge of an island with rich products; and I have to sell the contents of a Spanish treasure-s.h.i.+p that I found buried in the sand of that island.”
The Yankee's eyes glistened.
”Wal,” said he, ”I do business in islands myself. I've leased this Juan Fernandez. But one of them is enough at a time. I'm monarch of all I survey. But then what I survey is a mixallaneous bilin' of Irish and Otaheitans, that it's pizen to be monarch of. And now them darned Irish has taken to converting the heathens to superst.i.tion and the wors.h.i.+p of images, and breaks their heads if they won't. And the heathens are all smiles and sweetness and immorality. No, islands is no bait to me.”
”I never asked you,” said Robert. ”What I do ask you is to land me at Valparaiso. There I'll find a purchaser, and will pay you handsomely for your kindness.”
”That is fair,” said Fullalove, dryly. ”What will you pay me?”
”I'll show you,” said Robert. He took out of his, pocket the smaller conglomeration of Spanish coin, and put it into Fullalove's hand. ”That,”
said he, ”is silver coin I dug out of the galleon.”
Fullalove inspected it keenly, and trembled slightly. Robert then went lightly over the taffrail, and slid down the low rope into his boat. He held up the black ma.s.s we have described.
”This is solid silver. I will give it you, and my best thanks, to land me at Valparaiso.”