Old Gold | Page 5

the same time cautious and thoughtful, while ready to take as well as give advice."
The captain smiled grimly at the younger man, and gave his head a jerk in the direction of Sir Humphrey.
"He wants a good deal for his money, young gentleman," he said, "and I'm afraid he won't get a skipper with all that stuff in him unless he has him made to order. Look here, sir," he continued, turning upon Sir Humphrey almost fiercely, "I'm a very ordinary sort of man, and I can't strike a bargain with you, promising all sorts of things of that kind. I've got a well-found vessel, and if there's water enough I can make my crew sail her anywhere; but I've got a bit of a temper if people cut up rough with me, and don't do their duty honest. That's all I can say, I think. You want a superior sort of skipper altogether, and I don't like you any the worse for that. We've had a very pleasant chat or two, and it's been a pleasure to me to meet a couple of English gentlemen out here, and there's no harm done. I wish you and your brother good luck."
"Stop!" said Sir Humphrey; "let us understand one another. You refuse to enter into an engagement with me?"
"Yes, sir. I couldn't honestly promise to do all you want. I'm not such a perfect man as you've made up your mind to get."
"And you don't like the risk of such an expedition as I propose?"
"I never said so, sir," cried the captain bluffly. "It's what I should like."
"Then why not go?"
"Because, sir, I tell you I am not the sort of man you want. I dessay I could do a bit of fighting if I was put to it. Anyhow, I should try if anyone began to meddle with me or those who were with me, but--oh, no, you want too much."
"Brace," said Sir Humphrey, turning to his brother, "speak out frankly. It is dangerous to be hasty in choosing one's companions, but I want to know what you think of Captain Banes."
"He's just the very man we want," cried the young man, flushing.
"Thankye, my lad, thankye," said the captain, clapping the young fellow on the shoulder. "That's honest, for your eyes say it as well as your lips. But you're a pretty sort of fellow to drive a bargain! Why, you're asking me to raise my terms because you want me. That's not business."
"Never mind about that, captain," said Sir Humphrey, smiling. "Hullo, what's the matter?"
"I want to go and ask that tall thin yellow chap what he means by spying round this table and trying to hear what we're talking about."
"Let the man alone, captain, and take my advice. Don't quarrel with strangers in a foreign port."
"Advice taken, sir, and paid for," said the captain, stretching out a big brown hairy hand and gripping Sir Humphrey's firmly. "Quite right. Thankye, sir. I like you better for that than I did ten minutes ago. You make me feel half sorry that I can't come to terms with you. You want too much."
"No, he doesn't," cried Brace warmly. "We want you."
"But I'm not the sort of man for you at all, gentlemen."
"A man does not know himself so well as others know him," said Sir Humphrey, smiling. "Captain Banes, I shall be sorry if we do not come to terms, for I believe we should soon become firm friends."
"Well, I've some such idea as that, gentlemen," said the captain.
"Think it over for a couple of days, Captain Banes," said Sir Humphrey. "I will wait till then."
"Nay," said the captain firmly; "a man wants to be careful, but he doesn't want two days to go shilly-shallying over such a thing as this; and if you gentlemen think that you can trust me--"
"There's my hand," said Sir Humphrey.
"And mine," said Brace, eagerly holding out his.
"And there are mine, gentlemen," said the captain bluffly; "if you think I'm your man, your man I am, and I'll stick to you both through thick and thin."
CHAPTER THREE.
THE PUSHING STRANGER.
Wise people say that one ought to get up very early in the morning, and that it makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
It is a matter to be settled to a great extent by climate, and Brace Leigh wanted no urging to hurry out of--or, rather, off from his--bed just as the stars were beginning to pale, and open his window more widely, to breathe in the comparatively cool air.
His first thought was, of course, a bath or a plunge into the river for a swim.
But the latter was not to be thought of, for more than one reason. Mud was one, but that might have been borne; another reason was that certain loathsome lizardy creatures lurked