Part 35 (1/2)
”Punch o' the head, I suppose. Well, hooroar! and I'm glad we've got rid of him at last.”
”I don't know,” I said. ”I should have liked to shake hands first.”
”Come, lads, what a while you've been,” said Gunson, coming up out of the cabin. ”I told that boy to say you were to make haste.”
”What boy?” I said.
”The one I sent. Didn't he tell you?”
I shook my head.
”Went to the wrong place, perhaps. Boxes are all right below yonder.”
”But how are you going to get ash.o.r.e?” I said, wonderingly.
”Same as you do.”
”But--”
”Oh, didn't I tell you? I thought I'd come across with you, and see you well on your way. Esau there wouldn't be comfortable without me. I don't know when I became such friends with any one before as I have with him. Well, did you get a good dinner?”
He fixed Esau with his eye, and I saw the perspiration begin to stand in little drops on my companion's forehead, as he stammered out something about ”good-dinner.”
”But what about yours?” I said.
”Oh, I was afraid of some muddle being made with our luggage, so I stopped and got something to eat here.”
”Our luggage?” I said.
”Oh yes,” he replied with a curious laugh. ”Mine is below too.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN.
GUNSON FIGHTS MY BATTLE.
Gunson left us then, as if on purpose to give us an opportunity to talk about him; and as soon as he was out of hearing, Esau began by wiping the perspiration from his forehead with the back of first one hand, then with the other.
”It's o' no use,” he said in a low, hoa.r.s.e voice; ”we shan't get rid o'
that chap till he has had his wicked way of us.”
I was puzzled by Gunson's acts, but all the same, I could not help laughing at Esau's comically dismal manner.
”Why, what idea have you got in your head now?” I cried.
”Him!” whispered Esau, in a tragic way. ”I don't quite see through it all, but I do through some of it. Look here, Mr Gordon, sir, you mark my words, he's one of that gang we met at 'Frisco, only he plays the respectable game. He'd got me into their hands, and had me robbed, and then he was going to rob you, only I turned up just in time to save you.”
”Look here, Esau,” I said angrily; ”if you talk any more nonsense like that I'll kick you.”
”All right: kick away,” he said--”I won't mind; but I'm not going to see you served as I was without saying a word.”