Old Gold | Page 4

the water's all muddy. That river and the big ones that run into it, according to the charts, from north, south, and west all seem as if they were hard at work washing all the land away and carrying it out to sea. It's bad enough here, but down south yonder it's wonderful: the water's muddy for miles away out to sea."
"Oh, but you couldn't sail far up that great river without seeing something interesting if you kept your eyes open," said the young man contemptuously.
"My eyes were wide open enough, my lad," said the captain, with a laugh. "I don't shut 'em much when I'm in strange waters, I can tell you. Too fond of David Banes, Esquire. Never was skipper of a ship, was you, squire?"
"Never," said the young man, laughing.
"Then take my advice--never you do be. Ships are shes, as you well know, and they're about the most obstinate, awkward creatures to deal with there are. Let 'em have their heads to themselves for a few minutes, and they give their bowsprits a toss, and if they don't run on the first rock they can find they rush into some outrageous current, or else go straight ashore, to get knocked to pieces by the breakers. That's the sort o' character I give a ship. I'd a deal rather sit behind a wild horse without any reins than trust myself in a ship without a good man and true at the wheel."
"Yes, yes, that's all very right, Captain Banes," said Sir Humphrey drily, "but you'll excuse me: we are not talking business."
"I beg your pardon, sir, but we are," said the captain stoutly. "I suppose you'll own that you propose rather an outrageous thing?"
"I do not look upon it as outrageous, captain; but certainly it is wild and adventurous."
"Same thing, sir. Wants thinking about, and I'm thinking as hard as ever I can. It means risk of life to my men and me."
"I will pay well to balance the risks," said Sir Humphrey.
The captain smiled grimly.
"I don't want to drive a hard bargain, sir," said the captain, rather sternly now. "I only want to say that I don't know what pay you could offer me and my crew that would balance the loss of our lives. I s'pose you're a man of property?"
Sir Humphrey shrugged his shoulders, and smiled at his brother.
"Then look here, sir," said the captain, "if you'll reckon all you're worth, multiply it by ten, and then do that again and offer it to me for my life, I won't take it--there!"
"No, captain, I don't suppose you would," said Sir Humphrey, smiling. "But if you feel disposed to undertake this journey, and in an honest business-like spirit set down what you consider would be a fair payment for the use of your brig and the services of yourself and crew, I have no doubt that I shall close with you at once."
"And about what we get during the voyage--gold and silver and precious stones?"
"Or more likely strange specimens of unknown animals, plants, and curiosities, captain. Well, of course they would belong to me."
"Yes," said the captain thoughtfully; "that would be only fair. But there's another thing, sir: I've got a medicine-chest, and I know how to mix up a powder or a draught for the men in an ordinary way; but I don't think anyone ought to go right up country like you talk of doing without having a doctor on board who could physic for fevers and stop holes and plaster up cuts, and deal with damages generally. It wouldn't be fair."
"You would have such a person on board, captain, for I have studied medicine and surgery, and practised for six years busily before I succeeded unexpectedly to my property and title, and then determined to see more of the world in which we live."
"H'm!" said the captain, looking from one to the other thoughtfully; "I don't like knocking about in strange places begging for a cargo, and I don't like driving my brig through the sea light in ballast. You've took me at a weak time, sir."
"Stop!" said Sir Humphrey sternly. "I don't want to take advantage of any man at a weak time and bribe him into undertaking a task over which he would repent."
"I'm not that sort of chap, sir," said the captain shortly. "If I make a bargain I stick to it, and I answer for my lads."
"That is what I want," said Sir Humphrey. "There are plenty of foreign and native skippers that I could engage; but I want a staunch Englishman whom my brother and I can look upon as a trusty friend: one who, if it came to a pinch, would fight for us as we would fight for him: a good sailor, patient, enterprising, but at