Part 35 (1/2)
”Ay,” said the captain, wrapping up the little spoons in a meditative manner; ”perhaps that will be best”
He felt certain in his own mind that the search would be fruitless, but he did not say so If he had been absolutely certain in hisable to produce the proof, he would not have counselled Lestrange to any other course, knowing that the man's mind would never be settled until proof positive was produced
”The question is,” said Lestrange, ”what is et there?”
”There Iround the box ”A schooner with good heels to her is what you want; and, if I'o at this present minit at O'Sullivan's wharf Missus!”
The woe felt like a person in a drea themselves in his affairs sees
”Is Captain Stannistreet home, think you?”
”I don't know,” replied the woo see”
”Do”
She went
”He lives only a few doors down,” said Fountain, ”and he's the man for you Best schooner captain ever sailed out of 'Frisco The Raratonga is the name of the boat I have in my mind--best boat that ever wore copper Stannistreet is captain of her, owners are M'Vitie She's been o, and she's nearly discharged it Oh, M'Vitie would hire her out to Satan at a price; you needn't be afraid of their boggling at it if you can raise the dollars She's had a new suit of sails only the beginning of the year Oh, she'll fix you up to a T, and you take the word of S
Fountain for that I'll engineer the thing from this bed if you'll let me put my oar in your trouble; I'll victual her, and find a crew three quarter price of any of those d----d skulking agents Oh, I'll take a co”
He ceased, for footsteps sounded in the passage outside, and Captain Stannistreet was shown in He was a young man of not more than thirty, alert, quick of eye, and pleasant of face Fountain introduced hiht
When he heard about the business in hand, he seemed interested at once; the affair seemed to appeal to him more than if it had been a purely cos
”If you'll come with me, sir, down to the wharf, I'll show you the boat now,” he said, when they had discussed the ood-day to his friend Fountain, and Lestrange followed hi the brown paper box in his hand
O'Sullivan's Wharf was not far away A tall Cape Horner that looked almost a twin sister of the ill-fated Northuraceful as a drea copra
”That's the boat,” said Stannistreet; ”cargo nearly all out How does she strike your fancy?”
”I'll take her,” said Lestrange, ”cost what it will”
CHAPTER IV
DUE SOUTH
It was on the 10th of May, so quickly did things move under the supervision of the bedridden captain, that the Raratonga, with Lestrange on board, cleared the Golden Gates, andto a ten-knot breeze
There is no reat shi+p, if you have ever e in one, the vast spaces of canvas, the sky-high spars, the finesse hich the wind is e of, will form a memory never to be blotted out