Part 4 (1/2)

As the cutter neared, Murray noted that the strange boat was manned by a little crew of keen-looking blacks, not the heavy, protuberant-lipped, flat-nosed, West Coast ”n.i.g.g.e.rs,” but men of the fierce-looking tribes who seem to have come from the east in the course of ages and have preserved somewhat of the Arabic type and its keen, sharp intelligence of expression.

But the mids.h.i.+pman had not much time for observation of the little crew, his attention being taken up directly by the dramatic-looking entrance upon the scene of one who was apparently the skipper or owner of the lugger, and who had evidently been having a nap in the shade cast by the aft lugsail, and been awakened by the shot to give the order which had thrown the lugger up into the wind.

He surprised both the lieutenant and Murray as he popped into sight to seize the side of his swift little vessel and lean over towards the approaching cutter, as, s.n.a.t.c.hing off his wide white Panama hat, he pa.s.sed one duck-covered white arm across his yellowish-looking hairless face and shouted fiercely and in a peculiar tw.a.n.g--

”Here, I say, you, whoever you are, do you know you have sent a bullet through my fores'l?”

”Yes, sir. Heave to,” said the lieutenant angrily.

”Wal, I have hev to, hevn't I, sirr? But just you look here; I don't know what you thought you was shooting at, but I suppose you are a Britisher, and I'm sure your laws don't give you leave to shoot peaceful traders to fill your bags.”

”That will do,” said the lieutenant sternly. ”What boat's that?”

”I guess it's mine, for I had it built to my order, and paid for it.

Perhaps you wouldn't mind telling me what your boat is and what you was shooting at?”

”This is the first cutter of Her Majesty's sloop of war _Seafowl_,” said the lieutenant sternly, ”and--”

But the American cut what was about to be said in two by crying in his sharp nasal tw.a.n.g--

”Then just you look here, stranger; yew've got hold of a boat as is just about as wrong as it can be for these waters. I've studied it and ciphered it out, and I tell yew that if yew don't look out yew'll be took by one of the waves we have off this here coast, and down yew'll go. I don't want to offend yew, mister, for I can see that yew're an officer, but I tell yew that yew ought to be ashamed of yewrself to bring your men along here in such a hen c.o.c.k-sh.e.l.l as that boat of yourn.”

”Why, it's as seaworthy as yours, sir,” said the lieutenant good-humouredly.

”Not it, mister; and besides, I never go far from home in mine.”

”From home!” said the lieutenant keenly. ”Where do you call home?”

”Yonder,” said the American, with a jerk of his head. ”You ain't got no home here, and it's a mercy that you haven't been swamped before now.

Where have you come from?--the Cape?”

”No,” said the lieutenant; ”but look here, sir, what are you, and what are you doing out here?”

”Sailing now,” said the American.

”But when you are ash.o.r.e?”

”Rubber,” said the man.

”What, trading in indiarubber?”

”Shall be bimeby. Growing it now--plantation.”

”Oh,” said the lieutenant, looking at the speaker dubiously. ”Where is your plantation?”

”Up the creek yonder,” replied the American, with another nod of his head towards the coast.

”Oh,” said the lieutenant quietly; ”you have a plantation, have you, for the production of rubber, and you work that with slaves?”