"Go on, Bulger," said the American, "you've got a looser tongue than me."
"Which I don't deny, sir. Two days ago--'twas at Chandernagore, where the
Good Intent's been laid up for a matter a' weeks--the captain he went an'
forgot hisself, sir; clean forgot hisself, an' lifted his hand to Mr.
Toley; ay, hit him, sir. Wunst it was, sir, on'y wunst; then 'twas Mr.
Toley his turn. Ah, an' I warrant Captain Barker's in his bunk today.
Never did I see sich a sight all the years I've been afloat, an' that's
saying something. There was captain spread out on deck, sir, with his
eyes bunged up an' a tooth or two that had lost their bearin's, and all
his bones wonderin' if they was ever goin' to get joined again.
"That's the why and wherefore of it, sir. Well, in course, 'twas no
kiss-an'-be-friends arter that; so, bein' in a mounseer's place, Mr.
Toley took French leave, which I did the same, and here we are a-lookin'
for a job.
"But Lor' bless me! what's happened to you, Mr. Burke? When you didn't
come aboard at that there Gheria, Captain Barker he says, 'Log that there
knave Burke a deserter,' says he. But I says to Mr. Toley, 'I may be
wrong, sir,' says I, 'but I lay my whiskers that Diggle has been an' sold
him to the Pirate, an' that's the last we shall ever see of as nice a
young fellow as ever hauled on a hawser.' How did you get out of the
Pirate's den, sir?"
"That's a long story, Bulger. I'll tell you all in good time. You're
looking for a job, are you? Well, I happen to know of a skipper here--a
good man: maybe he'll have a berth for a seasoned salt like you.
Pages:
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314