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The Andador, a fruit steamer that visited Coralio regularly, drew into the offing and anchored. The beach was lined with spectators while the quarantine doctor and the custom-house crew rowed out to attend to their duties. An hour later Billy Keogh lounged into the consulate, clean and cool in his linen clothes, and grinning like a pleased shark.
But well, I wish you could have seen that Timotea. Every man has his own weak spot." The gig from the Andador was coming ashore to take out the captain, purser, and myself, the lone passenger. "I'll guarantee," said I confidently, "that my brother will pay you seventy-five dollars a month." "All right, then," said William Trotter. "I'll " But a soft voice called across the blazing sands.
"Mel-lin-ger a-hoy!" The sloop was now on its outward tack; but from it came a clear, answering hail: "Good-bye, Billy . . . go-ing home bye!" The Andador was the sloop's destination. No doubt some passenger with a sailing permit from some up-the-coast point had come down in this sloop to catch the regular fruit steamer on its return trip.
This is the story that William Trotter told me on the beach at Aguas Frescas while I waited for the gig of the captain of the fruit steamer Andador which was to take me abroad. Reluctantly I was leaving the Land of Always Afternoon. William was remaining, and he favored me with a condensed oral autobiography as we sat on the sands in the shade cast by the Bodega Nacional.
He picked up the brandy bottle, but set it down again without drinking, and marched bravely down to the beach. In the shade of the custom-house walls he found Mr. Hemstetter and Rosine surrounded by a mass of gaping citizens. The customs officers were ducking and scraping, while the captain of the Andador interpreted the business of the new arrivals. Rosine looked healthy and very much alive.
Almost every sound was hushed, for the air was but faintly stirring; and the town lay panting, waiting for the night to cool. Offshore lay the fruit steamer Andador, of the Vesuvius line, full-laden and scheduled to sail at six in the morning. There were no loiterers on the beach.
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