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"No dangee, cappen; only little bit good luck, that all," was the cheering response that restored their confidence. "How good luck?" asked the captain, puzzled to think of what fortune could have turned up in their favour so high above their heads. "You see soon," rejoined the Malay, taking a fresh peg from his girdle, and once more resuming his task at stair-making.
"I have tried for six years," continued the captain, "to reform you and hold you to the manhood I once knew in you; but I give you up. You are not fit to live, and will never be fitter to die than this morning, when the chance comes to you to die fighting for your country. But I want you to die fighting. Do you wish to see the surgeon or the chaplain?" "No, no, no, cappen; one's bad as t' other.
She had at the time called it a sermon, with a text, and laughed at the child who preached it. She was not laughing now. "Lissen, Cappen Sojer, an' I'll teach you a p'omise. A p'omise a p'omise why, when anybody p'omises, they do it!" Queer how plainly she could hear Little Silly say that and could see him sitting in the sun!
The urchin broke into a laugh here at the memory of the Captain's efforts to master what he styled a furrin' tongue, but Susan checked him by saying slily, "How could you know, Gillie, if the Captain was alone with Antoine?" "Oh, don't you know," replied Gillie, trying to recover his gravity, "the Cappen he's wery fond o' me, and I like to gratify his feelin's by keepin' near him.
It was the same with Murtagh and the Malay. "If we only had a sail," muttered the captain, with a sigh. "Sail, cappen lookee talpolin!" said Saloo, speaking in "pigeon English," and pointing to the tarpaulin in the bottom of the boat. "Why no him makee sail?" "Yis, indade; why not?" questioned the Irishman. "Comee, Multa! you help me; we step one oal it makee mass we lig him up little time."
After that you can do as you like; but if you touch one of them before you sign, I'll have you up 'fore the commissioner. And you fellers," he said over his shoulder, "you keep still and be civil till I'm rid of you. I've used you well, got your berths, and charged you nothin'. All I wanted was to get Cappen Benson the right kind of a crew." "Let's see that receipt," snarled the mate.
"Ob course, an' you're right for once, which is such an unusual t'ing dat I 'dvise you go an' ax de cappen to make a note ob it in de log. I's a nigger, an a nigger's so much more 'cute dan a white man dat you shouldn't ought to expect him to blab his massa's secrets." "Right you are, Moses. Come, then, if you won't reveal secrets, give us a song."
Behind him in the passage were other men, equally unkempt, their eyes wide open with excitement and anticipation. "Don't ye move," yelped the little man, "not a man. Keep yer hands out o' yer pockets. Put 'em over yer heads. That's it. You too, cappen." Captain Benson sprang to his feet, with a hand in his breast pocket. "You scoundrels!" he cried, as he drew forth a pistol.
"What is it?" again asked the captain, now no longer anxious or alarmed, but only curious to know what the strange creature could be. "Buld, cappen biggee buld." "Oh, a bird, that's all; what sort of bird?" "Honbill; ole hen hornbill. She on ha ness inside, hatchee egg; she built up in dat; ole cock he shuttee up with mud."
He had made several trips along the shore, and had discovered places where boats and canoes were hauled up, but some were too large and heavy, and others too small. At last he said that he had found one of a proper size to hold five persons, and provisions and water sufficient to last them for a week or ten days. "Five persons!" exclaimed Owen. "Yes, cappen. Mudder says she go too.
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