Old Gold Part 9

"Ain't you though? Well, I s'pose not. Ain't anything alive, though, is it?"

"Alive? Pooh! Ventilation holes to keep the things from fermenting. I dessay it's something in the eating line."

"Be nice too, I dessay," said the American. "Wish I was going. I should like to have had some of that. Anyhow, mister, I think I'd be careful with that hogshead in case your men might let it go down. It'd be a pity to spoil it by letting it slip 'twixt the wharf and the s.h.i.+p."

"We'll take care of that, sir," said the mate, as the chains were hitched to the barrel and it rose slowly from the stones of the wharf, swinging slowly in a half-circle, and was lowered through the deck of the brig.

"There we are," said the mate, with a laugh, as he turned to the American.

"Yes, there you are, lufftenant. Bit heavy, wasn't it?"

"Oh, no, nothing much.--Now, my lads, look alive!"

There was a chorus of: "Ay, ay, sir!" and a few minutes later the contents of the last truck were reposing in the part.i.tioned-off s.p.a.ce in the brig's hold.

Then, and then only, the second mate turned to the American, and, taking out one of the cigars presented to him, bit off the end.

"Now," he said, "work done, play begins. I'll trouble you for a light."

"A light? Oh, certainly, lufftenant," replied the American, handing his match-box. "You'll like those cigars. They're good ones."

"I'm sure of that," said the mate.

"Stop ash.o.r.e, and have a bit of dinner with me up at the hotel."

"You're very good," said the mate; "but I must get back on board.

There's a lot to do. I expect we shall drop down the river to-night."

"Eh? Soon as that?"

"Yes. The skipper is off to sea."

"Oh, but you might find time for that. A man must eat. Ask the boss to give you leave."

"Humph! I hardly like to ask him, as the time for sailing is so near; but well, there, I will."

"That's right. Come and dine at the hotel just for a pleasant chat.

Wish I'd been coming with you on your voyage."

"I begin to wish you were," said the mate, smiling. "You'd have found me handy when you wanted to ask questions."

The American looked at the speaker keenly, and then smiled.

"I understand," he said. "So you think I ask a lot?"

"Well, yes," said the mate, laughing. "You are pretty good at it."

"I suppose so. Way I've got. Pick up knowledge that how. Seems to me the way to learn. Hullo! What are they doing with your s.h.i.+p?"

"Warping her out again so as to be ready for dropping down when we start."

"Is that better than going off from the wharf?"

"Yes, a dear; but excuse me: there's the skipper yonder. I'll go and tell him I want to be off for a few hours."

"You do," said the American, "and you'll find me here when you come back."

"If the skipper knows where I want to go," thought the mate, "he'll say no directly, for he hates that Yankee, so I won't say anything about him. Not a bad sort of fellow when you come to know him; but of all the inquisitive Paul Prys I ever met he's about the worst. Never mind: he has asked me to dinner, and I'll go."

The next minute the mate was face to face with Captain Banes.

"Ah, Lynton," cried the skipper, "there you are, then. Got the gentlemen's tackle and things on board?"

"Yes, sir, all on board."

"That's right. We shall drop down the river about one; so see that all's right."

"All is right, sir, and I want you to spare me for three or four hours."

"Spare you to-night?"

"Yes. I want to dine with a friend."

The skipper raised his eyebrows and stared.

"Want to dine with a friend? Why--oh, well, I'm not going to imitate that Yankee and ask questions about what doesn't concern me. I was going to ask you to join us in the cabin, to meet the gentlemen; but that will do another time. Yes, of course, Lynton, and I wish you a pleasant evening; but no nonsense: I sail at the time I told you."

"And if I'm not back you'll sail without me?"

"That's right."

"No fear, sir," said the mate.

"I know there isn't, my lad, or I should have said no. I'll tell Dellow to send a boat ash.o.r.e for you at ten."

The skipper walked off leaving the mate looking after him and frowning.

"He needn't have been so nasty about it. But he wouldn't sail without me if I were not back."

The mate did not stir till he had seen Captain Banes on board. Then and then only he went in search of the American, but did not find him, and after a certain amount of search and enquiry he was walking along with overcast brow, thinking that there was some cause for the skipper's dislike to his host in prospective, and that the American was a bit of an impostor, when he came suddenly upon Sir Humphrey and his brother, followed by one of the men from the hotel carrying a portmanteau, and on their way to the brig.

"Wonder whether they'll know me again?" thought the mate; but the next moment he ceased to wonder, for he received a friendly nod from both as he pa.s.sed them and went on to the hotel to enquire whether anything was known about the American gentleman there.

"Mr Franklyn Briscoe?" was the answer. "Oh, yes, he's coming in here to stay now those two gentlemen are gone. He has ordered a dinner for himself and a friend."

"Oh, here you are then," came from behind him the next moment. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"So have I for you," said Lynton, rather surlily.