The Golden Canyon | Page 6

mean the third mate and
myself--when Allen came off at twelve o'clock without you, after
waiting an hour and a half at the wharf for you to turn up. We all felt
sure that something must have happened, or you would never have
been all that time late. There was a row between Allen and the skipper
the first thing in the morning. Allen wanted to go ashore to make
inquiries about you, and the old man would not let him, and said that no
doubt you had deserted, but that if you came on board again he would
have you put in irons.
"Well, there was a regular row going on when a boat came off with a
man in a red shirt, who I know now is one of Dave's partners, and said
that you were desperately wounded, and that the Spanish doctor they
had called in thought that you would die. So then the old man couldn't
help Allen's going ashore. Of course, he could do nothing, as you were
insensible, but he got two other surgeons. Their opinion was that you
would not get over it, but that if you did it would be a long time first.
When Allen got back there was another row. He wanted to have you
brought on board. The captain said that as you had chosen to mix
yourself up in a row on shore, you might die on shore for anything he
cared. Then I asked for leave to stay with you when the vessel sailed,
and got sworn at for my pains. In the afternoon I filled up your chest
chockfull with as many of my things as I could get into it, and sent it
ashore. By the next night we had got all the cargo on board, and were to
sail by the next morning, and I lowered myself down and swam ashore.
"Allen had told me exactly where you were lying, so I came here at
once and told Dave who I was, and why I had come ashore, and as soon
as it was light he took me round to the room the other two had. The
captain came ashore in the morning and stormed and raved at the
Consul's, but he had better have kept on board. I told our friends here

all about it, and as he went back to the boat again one of them pitched
into him, and gave him such a tremendous licking that I hear he had to
be carried on board. As soon as he got on board the Northampton sailed,
so you see here we both are. I have written off to your father and mine,
giving them a full account of the whole affair, and saying what a brute
Collet had been on the whole voyage. They will be sure to lay the
letters before the firm, and as Allen and Smith will, when they are
questioned, speak out pretty straight, you may be sure the old man and
his friend, the first mate, will have to look for a berth somewhere else."
"It is awfully good of you to have come ashore to nurse me, Tom."
"Bosh! Why, I have got away from the Northampton. I found, too, that
as far as nursing was concerned I might as well have stayed on board,
for Dave here and his two mates have, one or other of them, been with
you night and day, and they could not have taken more care of you if
they had been women. Still I have been very glad to be here, though till
three days ago there seemed very little hope of your pulling through it.
Now you have talked enough, or rather, I have talked enough, Dick;
and you had better turn over and get another sleep."

Chapter III.
--The Gold-Seekers.
Two days later the lad was able to sit up in bed and to enter upon a
discussion as to the future with Tom and the miner. It was begun by the
latter.
"I suppose you will be taking the first ship back as soon as you are
strong enough?" he said.
"I don't know, Dave; now I am here I should certainly like a run ashore
for a few weeks and to see something of the country. We have got
twenty pounds between us; that will last for some time. I should think
we could get a passage back without having to pay on this side for it,
and if there was any difficulty about it, we could work our way back;
but Tom agrees with me, we should like to see something of the
country first.
"I suppose in another fortnight I shall be all right again; but there is the
doctor to pay. I