Part 24 (1/2)
”Oot o' the way, ye dirt! Drap yon deevil wi' the knife!”
Macallister, still singing, swung the leg of the chair and afrone bottle descended on so the broken casting The crowd gave back before his rush and then scattered as Grahaitives stopped; and during the uitar, adorned with gaudy ribbons, hung round Macallister's neck
”It was yon fool thing made the trouble,” Watson explained ”He racked her till she buckled, but she would not keep the tune, and we had to pit her owner below the table Then an officer wi' a sould interfere and when he got a bit tap wi' a bottle ere mobbed by the roomful o'
swine”
He paused as somebody threw a stone at hi:
”We'll no' be responsible for what may happen til ye if we lose our teain, but it fell back when thite-uniforh Grahame spoke to them in Castilian, and they stopped While they asked him questions, another man, whom they saluted with respect, joined them
”It is not permitted to make a disturbance in this city,” the official said to Grahao on board your vessel now”
”I',” Watson declared when Grahame translated the order
”Took a rooo ould pit me oot”
”Better huets a notion into his head If he's not on board in the , I'll send a boatful of deckhands for hiineer wished to spend the night ashore, and the official looked thoughtful
”Very well,” he said ”One of the guards will see hio now”
”Ye can tell him I'm ready,” Watson replied, and added in a low voice as he passed Grahame: ”Get away to sea as soon as she floats!”
He went off with his escort and the official said souard, who saluted and told the others to follow him The crowd had scattered, and nobody interfered with the party on their way to the harbor
”I ait until I see you go on board,” the guard said when they reached the beach ”You will be called upon some tiun their investigations now,”
Grahahy ”She'll be afloat in half an hour Do you feel up to running the engine, Mack? If not, Walthew must do the best he can”
”I could take her oot if I was drunk and I'm far frae that,” Macallister declared ”Looks as if ye had no' allooed for the steadiness o' the Scottish head Noo, there's Watson, and I'll no' say he was quite sober, but he could spoil yon dago's ga to understand why he would sleep ashore They think ye canna' get aithoot him”
”I see that,” said Grahauel looses the stern s are not quite right below It's iet away quietly”
They reached the _Enchantress_, and preparations for departure were silently begun
Theyfort, and then elude the foreign gunboat They knew the consequences if they were caught
CHAPTER XVII
ELUDING THE GUNBOAT