Part 27 (1/2)

”Well, I never heard of such cheek!” I interrupted.

”Now, you do as I say. Father will pay you back. I'll make him,” said Paul, as though he thought the whole thing was cut and dried.

”Why, you s.h.i.+pped for the voyage, didn't you?”

”Ye-es. They said something like that. But I didn't mean it,” said my cousin.

”You'll find that sea captains expect a man to abide by the s.h.i.+p's papers. I don't know as Captain Rogers loves you much, but maybe he'll want to keep you just the same.”

”He ain't trying to hold you,” snarled Paul.

”I never signed on,” I replied. ”I haven't been a real member of the crew at all. But you were very glad for Captain Rogers to take you out of the clutches of that crimp at Buenos Ayres. You won't get away from the Scarboro so easy.”

”I ain't going to stay,” he declared, bitterly. ”I don't like it. I want to go home.”

”The voyage will maybe teach you something, Paul,” I said, and I must confess I enjoyed his discomfiture.

”You better help me out o' here,” he threatened. ”You can do it.”

”If I could help you, I wouldn't,” I declared, with some heat. ”Think I've forgotten what you did to me at the consul's office?”

He grinned a little; but he was angry, too. ”You better help me to a pa.s.sage home,” he growled.

”Not much!”

”You'll wish you had,” he declared. ”I'll write your mother and tell her just how you've treated me. I've had a hard time----”