Yussuf the Guide Part 11

"That will do, then, nicely. There, my boy, these are my presents.

Now, Preston, I suppose we must each have one of these long choppers?"

"Yes, I think so," replied the professor. "They will make us look more formidable."

"Very well, then: choose one for me too, but I warn you, I shall fasten mine down in the sheath with gum. I'm not going to take mine out, for fear of cutting off somebody's legs or wings, or perhaps my own."

"You feel better now?" said the professor.

"Hold your tongue, sir--do! No: I don't feel better. I had forgotten my pain, but now you've made me think about it again. There!--choose two swords and knives and let's get back."

Two plain useful sabres were selected, and the dealer received his orders to send the weapons to the hotel, after which the injured man was helped into a standing position, but not without the utterance of several groans. Then he was walked up and down the shop several times, ending by declaring himself much better.

"There, Lawrence!" he cried, "that's the advantage of being an Englishman. Now, if I had been a Dutchman or a Frenchman I should have had myself carried back, sent for a couple of doctors, and been very bad for a month or two; but you see I'm better already, and I'm not going to give up to please the Grand Panjandrum himself. Dear me! bless my heart! panjandrum! Pan--pan--pan--jan--jan--jan--drum! Where did I hear that word?"

"In a sort of nursery ditty, sir," said Lawrence laughing.

"To be sure I did," cried the old man, "and I had forgotten it; but I say, don't laugh like that, boy."

"Why not, sir?"

"Because it will make us believe that you have been shamming all this time, and that you're really quite well, thank you, sir!--eh?"

"I--I think I am better," said Lawrence quickly. "I don't know why, but I have not been thinking about being ill these last few days, everything is so bright and sunshiny here, you see."

"Yes, I see," said the old lawyer, giving the professor a peculiar look; and they went back to the hotel.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

THE GREEK SKIPPER.

"No, I can't do it," said Mr Burne after several brave efforts; "I really am a good deal jarred, and it is quite impossible. I am quite right as long as I keep still, but in such pain if I move that I can hardly bear it."

"Then we will put off the journey for a week," said the professor decisively.

"And disappoint the lad?" said Mr Burne. "No; you two must go."

"How can you talk like that?" exclaimed Lawrence sharply, "when you have come on purpose to help me get strong again? Mr Preston, we shall stay here--shall we not?"

"Of course," replied the professor. "The enjoyment of our trip depends upon our being staunch to one another."

Mr Burne declared that it was absurd, and ridiculous, and nonsensical, and raked out a few other adjectives to give force to his sentiments, speaking in the most sour way possible; but it was very evident that he was highly pleased, and the steamer sailed without them.

The next day Mr Burne was so stiff that he could not walk about; but he refused to see a doctor, and a week pa.s.sed before he could move without pain. Then one morning he declared that he was mending fast, and insisted upon inquiries being made respecting the sailing of the next steamer that would stop at one or other of the little towns on the south coast; but there was nothing bound in that direction, nor likely to be for another fortnight.

"And all my fault!" cried Mr Burne angrily. "Tut-tut-tut! Here, ring for the landlord."

The landlord came and was questioned.

No, there was no possibility of a pa.s.sage being made for quite a fortnight, unless the visitors would go in a small sailing boat belonging to one or the other of the trading crews.

The professor glanced at Lawrence, thought of the probable discomfort, and shook his head.

"The very thing!" exclaimed Mr Burne sharply.

"We can make trips in steamers at anytime; but a trip in a Greek felucca, with real Greek sailors, is what I have longed for all my life.

Eh, Lawrence, what do you say?"

"I think with you, sir, that it would be delightful--that is, if you are well enough to go."

"Well enough to go! of course I am. I'm longing to be off. Only a bit stiff. Look here, landlord, see what you can do for us. One moment, though; these Greeks--they will not rob us and throw us overboard--eh?"

"No fear, sir. I'll see that you go by a boat manned by honest fellows who come regularly to the port. Leave it to me."

The landlord departed and the question was discussed. The professor was ready enough to go in the manner proposed so long as Lawrence felt equal to the task, and this he declared he was; and certainly, imperceptibly as it had come about, there was an improvement in his appearance that was most hopeful.

The princ.i.p.al part of their luggage had gone on by steamer, and would be lying waiting for them at Ansina, a little port on the south coast which had been considered a suitable starting-point; and they had been suffering some inconvenience, buying just such few things as would do to make shift with till they overtook their portmanteaux.

Oddly enough, Mr Burne expressed the most concern about their new purchases, the weapons and ammunition, which had been sent on to the steamer by the landlord as soon as they arrived from the store.

"Such things must be so tempting to the people who see them," said the old lawyer.

"But they were all carefully packed in cases," said the professor.

"They would not know what was inside."

"Nonsense, my dear sir. We English folk would not have known, but a Greek or a Turk would. These people smell powder just like crows in a corn-field. I'm afraid that if we don't make haste we shall find our things gone, and I wouldn't lose that gun for any money."

The landlord came back in about a couple of hours to say that he had had no success, but that it would become known that he had been inquiring, and an application might be made.

This turned out correct, for as the travellers were seated that evening over their dessert, enjoying by an open window the deliciously soft breeze, as Lawrence partook of the abundant grapes, and the professor puffed at a water-pipe--an example followed by Mr Burne, who diligently tried to like it, but always gave up in favour of a cigar at the end of a quarter of an hour--the waiter brought their coffee and announced that the master of a small vessel desired to see their excellencies.

The man was shown in, and proved to be a picturesque-looking fellow in a scarlet cap, which he s.n.a.t.c.hed from his curly black hair and advanced into the room, saying some words in modern Greek whose import the professor made out; but his attempts to reply were too much for the skipper, who grew excited, shook his head, and finally rushed out of the room, to the great amus.e.m.e.nt of Mr Burne, who knocked the ash off the cigar he had recently lit.

"That's what I always say," he cried. "Book language is as different as can be from spoken language. I learned French for long enough when I was a boy, but I never could make a Frenchman understand what I meant."

"Let's ring and inquire," said the professor, to hide a smile. "I hope we have not driven the fellow away."

"Hope you have, you mean," said Mr Burne.

The professor rose to reach the bell, but just then the landlord entered with the Greek sailor, who smiled and showed his white teeth.

With the landlord as interpreter the matter became easy. The man was going to sail in three days, that was as soon as the little vessel, in which he had brought a cargo of oranges and other fruit from Beyrout, had discharged her load and was ready to return. He was going to Larnaca on his return voyage, but for a consideration he was ready to take the English excellencies to any port they liked on the south coast--Ansina if they wished--and he would make them as comfortable as the boat would allow; but they must bring their own food and wine.

The bargain was soon struck, the Greek asking a sum which the landlord named to the professor--so many Turkish pounds.

"But is not that a heavy price for the accommodation we shall receive?"