Part 3 (2/2)

But the captain was again staring at the music. 'About how long ago since you wrote up this truck?' he asked.

'What does it matter?' exclaimed Herrick. 'I dare say half an hour.'

'My G.o.d, it's strange!' cried Davis. 'There's some men would call that accidental: not me. That--' and he drew his thick finger under the music--'that's what I call Providence.'

'You said we had a chance,' said Herrick.

'Yes, SIR!' said the captain, wheeling suddenly face to face with his companion. 'I did so. If you're the man I take you for, we have a chance.'

'I don't know what you take me for,' was the reply. 'You can scarce take me too low.'

'Shake hands, Mr Herrick,' said the captain. 'I know you. You're a gentleman and a man of spirit. I didn't want to speak before that b.u.mmer there; you'll see why. But to you I'll rip it right out. I got a s.h.i.+p.'

'A s.h.i.+p?' cried Herrick. 'What s.h.i.+p?'

'That schooner we saw this morning off the pa.s.sage.'

'The schooner with the hospital flag?'

'That's the hooker,' said Davis. 'She's the Farallone, hundred and sixty tons register, out of 'Frisco for Sydney, in California champagne.

Captain, mate, and one hand all died of the smallpox, same as they had round in the Paumotus, I guess. Captain and mate were the only white men; all the hands Kanakas; seems a queer kind of outfit from a Christian port. Three of them left and a cook; didn't know where they were; I can't think where they were either, if you come to that; Wiseman must have been on the booze, I guess, to sail the course he did.

However, there HE was, dead; and here are the Kanakas as good as lost.

They b.u.mmed around at sea like the babes in the wood; and tumbled end-on upon Tahiti. The consul here took charge. He offered the berth to Williams; Williams had never had the smallpox and backed down. That was when I came in for the letter paper; I thought there was something up when the consul asked me to look in again; but I never let on to you fellows, so's you'd not be disappointed. Consul tried M'Neil; scared of smallpox. He tried Capirati, that Corsican and Leblue, or whatever his name is, wouldn't lay a hand on it; all too fond of their sweet lives.

Last of all, when there wasn't n.o.body else left to offer it to, he offers it to me. ”Brown, will you s.h.i.+p captain and take her to Sydney?”

says he. ”Let me choose my own mate and another white hand,” says I, ”for I don't hold with this Kanaka crew racket; give us all two months'

advance to get our clothes and instruments out of p.a.w.n, and I'll take stock tonight, fill up stores, and get to sea tomorrow before dark!”

That's what I said. ”That's good enough,” says the consul, ”and you can count yourself d.a.m.ned lucky, Brown,” says he. And he said it pretty meaningful-appearing, too. However, that's all one now. I'll s.h.i.+p Huish before the mast--of course I'll let him berth aft--and I'll s.h.i.+p you mate at seventy-five dollars and two months' advance.'

'Me mate? Why, I'm a landsman!' cried Herrick.

'Guess you've got to learn,' said the captain. 'You don't fancy I'm going to skip and leave you rotting on the beach perhaps? I'm not that sort, old man. And you're handy anyway; I've been s.h.i.+pmates with worse.'

'G.o.d knows I can't refuse,' said Herrick. 'G.o.d knows I thank you from my heart.'

'That's all right,' said the captain. 'But it ain't all.' He turned aside to light a cigar.

'What else is there?' asked the other, with a pang of undefinable alarm.

'I'm coming to that,' said Davis, and then paused a little. 'See here,'

he began, holding out his cigar between his finger and thumb, 'suppose you figure up what this'll amount to. You don't catch on? Well, we get two months' advance; we can't get away from Papeete--our creditors wouldn't let us go--for less; it'll take us along about two months to get to Sydney; and when we get there, I just want to put it to you squarely: What the better are we?'

'We're off the beach at least,' said Herrick.

'I guess there's a beach at Sydney,' returned the captain; 'and I'll tell you one thing, Mr Herrick--I don't mean to try. No, SIR! Sydney will never see me.'

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