He had laid aside his gentlemanly gait and bearing, and acted as though
he had lately joined the "awkward squad."
"How d'e?" called the orator to him, as he saw him join the group of
listeners. "I see you come from the other side of the p'int."
"Well, is that agin the laws o' war?" demanded Christy.
"Not a bit on't," replied the captain pleasantly, as though his
potations of whiskey were still in full effect upon him. "If you come
from that way, have you seen anything of my four men that deserted the
schooner?"
"I wasn't lookin' for 'em; didn't know ye'd lost some men," replied
Christy, staring with his mouth half open at the orator. "Was one on
'em the mate?"
"Yes!" exclaimed the captain eagerly.
"Well, I hain't seen nothin' on em," added Christy in a mumbling tone.
"I'll bet you have!" protested the skipper of the West Wind. "How'd you
know one on 'em was the mate if you didn't see 'em?"
"I didn't know one on 'em was the mate; I only axed yer so's ter know."
"I reckon you know sunthin about my men," persisted the captain; and by
this time the attention of all the party had been directed to him.
"I don't know nothin' about yer men, and I hain't been interduced to
'em. If you want to ship a new crew, I'm ready to jine with yer."
"One man ain't enough," added the skipper.
"Some o' these men'll jine too, I reckon," suggested Christy, who
had proceeded in this manner in order to attract the attention of the
disconsolate master of the West Wind.
Pages:
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65