The Ocean Cat's Paw Part 69

"Well, well," said the doctor, "we'll see about that."

"I am glad to know you, Senor Medico," said the Spaniard, patting on the stiffness of the formal Don and bowing profoundly, "and I will gladly help you in any way I can. But I am only a poor trader, and glad to do any business I can when I meet a strange ship that has needs. Do you want powder? I see you have guns," he said sharply.

"Oh yes," said the doctor. "One never knows what enemies one may meet with among savage people; so we are well-armed, and as you see have a good crew."

"Yes, yes," said the Spaniard, looking sharply round.

"But I thank you. We have plenty of powder."

"So have I," said the Spaniard. "The black chief is always glad to buy it, and guns too. That is my money--that and rum. Those will always buy palm-oil. But I have plenty of ship stores; canvas, oak.u.m, and pitch. You are mending the other ship, I see. Can I sell you some?"

"I thank you, no," said the doctor. "We are well supplied, I think, with everything; and in reply, if there is anything you want that we can supply to you I shall be pleased."

"Then I should like a few canisters of your good English powder."

"Thought you said you'd plenty," said Captain Chubb gruffly.

The Spaniard closed his eyes slowly till they were like two narrow slits, and he gave the skipper a meaning nod.

"Yes," he said significantly, "I have plenty. It is good for the black man's guns. But if you fired it from yours--pff! It makes much smoke, and the barrel very wet, and the shot do not go too far. But the black men know no better. I do. Ha, ha! You will let me have a few pounds for my own pistols?"

"And that long gun of yours too?" said the skipper.

"Yes," said the Spaniard. "As your medico says, one never knows what savage people one may meet. It is good too behind a bullet for our friends here in the river. You have seen them?"

He put his wrists together with his palms closed, and then slowly opened them widely in imitation of a crocodile's jaws, and closed them with a snap.

"Oh yes," said Rodd, "we have met them, and found out how h.o.r.n.y their skins are."

"Ugh! Beasts!" said the Spaniard. "Last time I was here they swept two of my men out of a boat, and I never saw them more. We caught some fish as we came up the river, at the mouth. _Adios, senores_; I will send you some. We shall meet again. I do not hurry for some days, for I am before my time."

"How far is it up to the town?" asked Captain Chubb.

"Three days' journey. This is a great river, and the water is deep right up into the country till you reach the mountains, far beyond the town."

"Well," said the doctor, "let's go ash.o.r.e, Rodd, and tell the Count. We didn't bargain for this, eh, captain?"

"No," said the skipper gruffly, as he watched the departing boat, after ordering the crew back into their own so as to row the doctor and his nephew to the brig.

"Well, Rodd," continued the doctor, "it would be a grand chance for us to have some expeditions with a good guide. What do you think of the Spanish captain?"

"Don't like him at all, uncle. There's a nasty, catty, foxy look about him."

"A mixture of the feline and the canine, eh, my boy? Well, he must be a bad one! Ah! British prejudice is as strong in you as it is in me."

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

SPANISH LIQUORICE.

There was quite a discussion when the doctor joined those waiting by the brig, the Count being bitterly annoyed and displaying more excitement than the others had seen in him before, while Morny kept close to his side, and whispered to him from time to time, as if trying to calm him down.

"Yes, yes, my son," he cried pa.s.sionately, and speaking to him in French; "but you are a boy, and do not think. Look here," and he pointed to the helpless brig, "how do we know but that he may be an enemy? And we are in this helpless state, quite at his mercy."

The doctor was listening attentively, and understood every word.

"I know," he said soothingly, "this must be very painful for you; but Captain Chubb believes that before many days are over the brig will be as strong as ever. I answer for him that he is making every effort to finish what he has undertaken."

Uncle Paul directed a glance at the skipper, who stood scowling close by.

"Thank you, doctor," he granted, as he gave a nod. "And I feel sure that this Spanish captain, who is evidently an ordinary trader, will prove perfectly inoffensive; and besides, my dear sir, we are not at war now, and what enemies can you have to fear?"

"Ah, yes," said the Count bitterly, as he made a deprecating gesture with his hands, turning and directing his words at his son; "what enemies can we have to fear?"

"Well, I am glad you look upon it in that light," said the doctor.

"Now, if it had been years ago, with your smart little craft, and you had been followed up here by a small sloop of war, or an English letter of marque, you might have expected to be made a prize. But this is an ordinary Spanish schooner, and though I suspected it at first, I don't think she is tainted by the slave trade, but engaged in traffic with the natives for the sake of palm-oil."

"Perhaps you are right, sir," said the Count.

"I feel sure I am," said the doctor, "and I must confess to having hailed this man's coming, from the help he will be to me in a little expedition I propose to make when we have seen the brig restored and all set right."

"I thank you," said the Count, "but I am so anxious for the success of my own scientific search that I have got into the habit of seeing enemies in every one, even as I did, doctor, in you and your men. And you see this is an armed vessel with a very strong crew."

"Well," said the doctor good-humouredly, "we have armed vessels with very strong crews. Anxiety has made you nervous, Count. Here's your doctor," he said, turning to Captain Chubb, "and before many days have pa.s.sed he will have cured all your trouble, and we can get to sea again."

"Ah, yes, that will be better," said the Count, wiping his moist brow.

"You must forgive me, doctor--and you too, Captain Chubb. I am impatient, I know. But I see now all will be well. One moment, though: you said we can get to sea again. _We_? You will sail with me?"

"My dear sir," said the doctor, "you need have no fear. Captain Chubb will make your brig as sound as ever. You will need to look for no further a.s.sistance from me."

"I did not mean that," said the Count hastily. "I meant brotherly help--the help that one devoted to research could give to another."

"But," said the doctor, laughing, "you have never confided to me what particular form of research yours is."

"No, I have not," said the Count hurriedly, "and I ask you to spare me from explanation. Be satisfied if I say that we are both bound upon great missions, and that you, a brother scientist, can give me enormous help by working in company with me for the next few weeks at most. Is this too much to ask of a learned doctor like you?"

"Oh no," said Uncle Paul good-humouredly; "I do not see that it is. You are not going to ask me to help you to escape from an English prison."

The Count gave an involuntary start.

"Of course not," said the doctor, "for I am thankful that all that kind of trouble is at an end, and that France and England are at peace; and besides, you are free to come and go where you please. Well, as your son and my nephew have become such inseparable friends, and my time is my own, I will ask no questions, but sail where you sail, and pick up what I can to complete my specimens while you continue your research; and believe me, I wish you every success."

"Ah," said the Count, with a sigh of satisfaction; and with all a Frenchman's effusiveness he laid his hands on the doctor's shoulders and said, with some little show of emotion, "I thank you. You are making me as great a friend as my son is to your nephew."

Watch was mounted on both vessels at night as if they were in the presence of a dangerous enemy; but there in the great solitude of that forest through which the river ran, there was nothing human to disturb the night.

Savage nature was as busy as ever during the dark hours through which the creatures of land and water fled for their lives or pursued their prey. Otherwise everything was wondrously still, and those upon schooner or brig who might have felt doubtful about the Spanish craft saw or heard nothing save the low murmur of voices in conversation and the occasional opening or shutting of a dull lantern, whose use was explained by the sudden glow cast upon the face of some swarthy sailor as he lit a fresh cigarette, after which a couple of faint points of glowing light rising and falling might have been seen pa.s.sing to and fro upon the Spaniard's deck.