Part 46 (1/2)

”Yes--yes.”

”Well, then, you'd better finish the business. Tell him I don't want to trade any away. We've got no more than will get in the crops.”

”Speak to him,” said the other, who seemed to grow more nervous and agitated.

”Oh, very well. Look here, mister; you've come to the wrong shop. I don't understand what you mean by making believe to know me, but I don't know you, and I'm not going to trade in blacks with any British s.h.i.+p.

Understand?”

”Understand, sir?” cried the lieutenant, who was growing scarlet with heat and wrath. ”It seems to me that you do not understand. Pray, who are you?”

”Business man and overseer of this plantation for my friend here, Mr James Allen, who trusts me to carry on his affairs for him, being a sick man just getting over a fever. There, I don't want to be surly to an English officer, though I never found one civil to me. You've dropped anchor off here, and I suppose you want water. Well, if you do I'll put a gang of my slaves on to help your men fill their casks.”

”I am exceedingly obliged to you, sir,” said the lieutenant sarcastically.

”Wal, that's spoke better,” said the American. ”And if you want some fresh meat and vegetables you can have a boat-load or two if you like to pay for 'em with a chest or so of tea. You'd like a few bottles o' port wine, too, for your complaint, wouldn't you, Allen?” he continued, turning to the pale, nervous man at his side.

”Yes--yes,” faltered the poor fellow.

”Really, you are too condescending,” cried the lieutenant. ”Mr Roberts--Mr Murray--did you ever hear the like of this? Here, May-- t.i.tely--what do you say to this American gentleman?”

Tom May took off his straw hat and gave his curly hair a rake with his fingers, while t.i.tely stared with all his might.

”It caps me, sir,” said the latter, while Tom May looked at the American, then at the two middies in turn, and shook his head.

”Well, sir, why don't you speak?” cried his officer angrily.

”'Cause it's such a rum un, sir.”

”Bah! Speak out, man, and don't hesitate. You remember seeing this man before?”

”Well, sir, I seem to ha' seen him afore, and then I don't seem, and get kind o' mixed up. Sometimes it looks like him and sometimes it don't look like him, sir. Beg your pardon, sir, but would you mind asking my messmate here--t.i.tely?”

”Bah, man! The sun has made you giddy.”

”Well, skipper, when you like I'm ready for an answer. Want the water and fresh vittles?”

”My dear Huggins,” said the trembling owner of the place, ”it would be far better if you explained to the King's officer--”

”You leave me and the King's officer alone, James Allen,” said the American st.u.r.dily.

”But I'm sure--” whispered the planter.

”So'm I. You keep your tongue between your teeth, and I dessay we can settle matters. Look here, Mr Officer, I'm boss of all the business here, and you needn't take no notice of this gentleman. I telled you that Mr Allen has been in bed with fever, and it's left him, as you see, very shaky upon his legs. Your coming has upset him and made him a bit nervous. Here, I'll put in a word for him, poor chap. Jes' you ask your skipper to give him a small bottle o' quinine. You won't want paying for that, being charity.”

The lieutenant turned his back upon the speaker angrily, and spoke to the feeble-looking planter.

”Look here, sir,” he cried, ”you are nominally owner of this plantation and the slaves upon it.”

”Now, look here, mister,” said the American angrily; ”I spoke civil to you, and I offered to help you and your s.h.i.+p with what you wanted in the way of fresh meat and vegetables. What's the good of returning stones for stuff?”