Part 32 (1/2)
”The same, Abott,” answered the latter as they shook hands, for this was not the first time by a good many that the pilot had taken him into Singapore.
”But, bless my soul, skipper, this is the hooker that you wafted out of Singapore.”
”It is,” answered Calamity. ”But come along to my cabin and have a drink, Abott. I'd like to have a little pow-wow with you.”
Nothing loth, the pilot accompanied him to the cabin, where Calamity, after carefully locking the door, brought out a bottle and some gla.s.ses from a cupboard.
”The usual?” he inquired.
”Aye, skipper, my tastes ain't changed since we last met.”
The Captain poured out a generous helping of brandy, which he handed to the pilot and then poured out a like dose for himself.
”Here's luck,” said the other as he raised his gla.s.s.
Calamity nodded and tossed off his drink.
”What's the news?” he asked.
”About the war? Oh, nothing special, the Germans ain't took Paris, and we haven't burnt down Berlin. But say, skipper, what in thunder made you hike off with the old _Arrow_?”
”The what?” asked Calamity staring hard at the other.
”The _Arrow_, this old packet of Rossenbaum's.”
The Captain made no answer for a moment and then a look of understanding came into his face.
”Oh, so the story is that I made off with Rossenbaum's s.h.i.+p?”
”You bet it is and there's a nice old s.h.i.+ndy over it,” answered the pilot. ”Rossenbaum accused Solomon of having stolen his blooming steamer, and Solomon took his oath that you'd taken it unbeknownst to him.”
”What you've told me explains a lot of things, Abott. The excellent Solomon's manoeuvres puzzled me from the start, but now I begin to see daylight. I'll have one or two little bones to pick with Isaac when I get ash.o.r.e.”
”Now, see here, skipper, jest you take my tip,” said the other earnestly. ”Don't put into Singapore. It ain't a healthy place for you, and that's a fact.”
”Why not?”
”Why not! Well, you don't suppose a man can be accused of pinching some other party's s.h.i.+p and the authorities not say a word, do you?”
”You mean they're after me?”
”There's a warrant out for your arrest under the Piracy Act or something of that sort.”
”H'm,” grunted Calamity; ”that's news.”
”Now see here, skipper, we've known each other a tidy while, and you know I'm not the man to lead an old friend into a mess if I can help it.
Take my advice and make for some other port; you may take your oath that I shan't say a word about having picked you up.”
”Abott, you're a white man,” answered Calamity, ”but I'm not taking your advice, good as it sounds. Solomon has played his card, but I can trump it; he's absolutely in my hands, though he doesn't know it yet. Now we'll dismiss that subject for the present, and talk of something far more important. First of all, can you trust the men on your boat?”
”Trust 'em? Well, I should say so,” answered the pilot in surprise.