Part 33 (2/2)
”Nor do I, except on your account. But I shall feel happier if you are out of sight and hearing.”
”Oh, very well. But nothing he could say would trouble me in the slightest.”
So, after breakfast, she sat down on the cabin floor to her sewing, and he lit his pipe and went up on deck carrying his axe. He closed the companion-doors and hatch very quietly--but she heard him--and went forward into the bows, which, since the usual wind blew from the south-west, was the nearest point to the 'Jane and Mary.'
It was a long time before the mate showed any signs, beyond an extra rush of smoke when he made up his fire to cook his breakfast. But he came up at last, caught sight of Wulfrey, and stood scowling across at him for a time. Then he dropped down on to his raft and came wobbling, with quick angry strokes, across to the 'Martha.'
”So that's it, is it?” he growled, with a grim look on his dark face.
”That's it,” said Wulfrey coolly.
”And you think you've got her all to yourself?--what you've been plotting for ever since I hauled her ash.o.r.e.”
”Are you speaking of Miss Drummond?”
”I'm speaking of that girl. 'Twas me hauled her ash.o.r.e an' she's my right if she's anybody's.”
”There it is, you see. She is n.o.body's right but her own. And neither she nor I are your servants, to prepare your food and see to your comfort while you dig treasure out of the wreckage. So we have decided to fend for ourselves and you can fend for yourself.”
”Ah! You think so, do you? We'll see about that.”
”We undertake not to go aboard your s.h.i.+p if you give your word not to come aboard ours.”
”See you ---- first!”
”Thank you! Then now we know how we stand, and will act accordingly.”
”Ay, now you know.”
”And will act accordingly,” emphasised Wulfrey once more. ”I must ask you to keep off,” as the mate paddled alongside and reached up a rough hairy hand to the side. ”I'm sorry it's come to this, but I won't have you on board.”
”Won't, eh?” and as he reached up the other hand and prepared to mount, Wulfrey picked up his axe and held it threateningly above the clinging hands, which straightway loosed their hold amid a volley of curses.
”---- ---- ---- ---- you! You'd maim me! ---- ---- ---- ---- me, if I don't pay you for this! The girl's mine. I found her. I'll get her over your dead body if needs be.”
”Ah! And who found you? And where would you be if I hadn't helped you on to the raft yon first night? Tell me that, will you? By the same rule you're mine, and all you've got is mine.”
”---- ---- ---- ---- you for a ---- ---- ---- sea-lawyer!” foamed the mate, his dark face and eyes all ablaze, his shaking fists hurling curses beyond the compa.s.s of his tongue.
Wulfrey, eyeing him professionally, said to himself, ”Too much rum.
He'll have D.T. if he doesn't slack off--or a fit if he does much of this kind of thing.”
The mate thrashed back to his own s.h.i.+p with furious strokes and climbed aboard, and Wulfrey, having watched him safely up the side, went down to The Girl.
”He is very angry,” he said quietly.
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