To The West Part 20

For just then a yellow-looking fellow, one of the many idlers who hung about the docks, came slouching along towards us; and as soon as I saw him I whispered a word or two to Esau, and we got up and walked away, with the man still following us at a little distance.

"Those chaps smell money is my belief," said Esau.

"Yes, and Mr Gunson was right. We mustn't trust any one, but wait till the Captain tells us of some respectable skipper who's going up North and will take us."

"That's it. I say, what rum-looking chaps these Chinees are," continued Esau, as a man in blue, with a long pig-tail, pa.s.sed us and smiled.

"Why, he don't know us, does he?"

"We don't know him," I replied.

We went on past the crowded wharves, where s.h.i.+ps were loading and unloading, and then by the grey-tinted wooden buildings, all bright and fresh-looking in the suns.h.i.+ne. Everybody nearly seemed busy and in a hurry except us, and the idle-looking scoundrels who hung about the drinking and gambling saloons, into one or two of which Esau peered curiously as we went by; and then, as if attracted by the s.h.i.+pping, we made our way again down by the wharves in hopes of hearing of a vessel that would take us on.

I have known well enough since, that had we been better instructed, all this would have been simple enough; but to us ignorant lads, fresh come from England, it was a terrible problem to solve, one which grew more difficult every day. In those days, when settlers were few, and Vancouver Island just coming into notice, there was no regular steamer, only a speculative trading-vessel now and then. Still there was communication, if we had only known where to apply.

We were watching one vessel just setting out on her voyage, and thinking that in an hour or two she would be outside the great opening to the harbour, and abreast of the bare, whitish-looking cliffs which form that part of the Californian coast, when Esau said--

"I wonder whether she's going up to Fraser River. I say, why didn't we find out she was going to sail, and ask?"

"You want to go up the Fraser River?" said a voice close behind us.

"Guess I never see such chaps as you. Why didn't you say so sooner?"

We both faced round at once, and found that the man who had been haunting us for days was close behind us, and had heard every word.

"Look here," said Esau, shortly. "There, don't you got rusty, stranger.

That's the worst of you Englishers, you think everybody wants tew hurt you."

"Come along," I whispered.

"Yew just let him alone. He's all right. Now here's yew tew have landed here days, yew may say, outer the _Albytross_, and yew goes to spensife hotel, wasting yew're money, when we've got quite a home for strangers like yew for half what yew pay, and we'll get yew a s.h.i.+p to Fraser, Skimalt, or wheer yew like."

As he was speaking three more men sauntered slowly up and stood looking on--men whom I felt sure I had seen with him before, and it made me uneasy, especially as a couple more came out of a low-looking saloon close by, and we were some distance from the better part of the city.

"Look here," I said sharply, "do you know of a s.h.i.+p going to sail to the Fraser River, or to Esquimalt?"

"Why, of course I do. Here, where's your money? It's twenty-five dollars a-piece. Splendid berths, best of living. Like gentlemen aboard. Hand over, and I'll take you to where they give out the tickets."

"Thank you," I said. "I should like to see the s.h.i.+p, and an agent."

"But don't I tell yew everything's first chip, and I'll do it for yew as yew're strangers."

"Yes, it's very kind of you," I said; "but I won't trouble you."

"Trouble? Oh, come, we're not like that here to strangers. Nonsense, lad. Hand over."

"We're not going to give twenty-five dollars a piece, I can tell you,"

put in Esau.

"Why, it's next to nothing for a voyage like that. But there, never mind, you two are new-comers, and the skipper's a friend of mine. I'll put you right with him for twenty dollars each. Here, hi! Any of you know the _Pauliner_?"

"Know her? yes," said one of the men hard by; and they all came up and surrounded us. "What about her?"

"Sails for the Fraser, don't she, to-morrow?"

"Yes, of course."

"Splendid clipper, ain't she, with cabins and all chip chop?"

"Yes," came in chorus.

"There, what more do you want? Come along, lads; lucky I met you. Come and have a drink."

"No, thank you," I said. "Come, Esau."

"Get," said the man with a forced laugh. "What's the good of being strangers. Come and have a drink. I'll pay."

"Pay? Ah," said the second man; "and we'll all share in turn. Come on in here."

This fellow clapped his hand on my shoulder with a boisterous display of friendliness, while the firstcomer thrust his hand through Esau's arm, and began to lead him toward the saloon.

"That will do," I said, trying to be cool, for I began to fear that we were being dragged into some disturbance, and felt that the time had come to be firm. "We are much obliged to you for your friendliness, but we neither of us drink. Be good enough to tell me where the agent of the s.h.i.+p lives, and I'll give you half-a-dollar."

"Nonsense! come and have a drink, my lad."

"No, thank you," I said. "Come, Esau."

"Why, what a fellow you are. Very well, then, hand over the twenty dollars each, if you can't take a friendly drop. I'll get the tickets for you all the same."

"No, no," said the other man. "Let's do no business without a drink first; they think we want to make them pay, but I'll stand liquors for the lot."

"No, let 'em have their own way," said the first man; "they're not used to our customs. You let 'em alone. I'm going to get 'em pa.s.sages in the _Paulina_, for twenty dollars each. Come, lads, where's your money?"

I glanced quickly to right and left, but we seemed to be away from help, and, strangers as we were, in the lower part of the port, quite at the mercy of these men. Then, having made up my mind what to do, I pressed up to Esau, pus.h.i.+ng rather roughly by our first friend.

"Now, Esau," I said, "back to the hotel. Straight on," I whispered.

"Run!"

"I bet you don't," said our first friend; "that trick won't do here, stranger;" and his smooth looks and tones gave place to a scowl and the air of a bully. "Come along, Esau," I said sharply. "No, nor you don't come along neither," said the man, as the others closed round us as if out of curiosity, but so as to effectually bar our retreat.

"What's matter?" said one who had not yet spoken.

"Matter?" cried our friend. "Why jest this. These here tew have been holding me off and on for three days, wanting me to get 'em a s.h.i.+p to take 'em to Esquimalt. First they wanted to go for ten, then they'd give fifteen."

"Fifteen dollars to Skimalt?" cried the new man. "Gammon."

"That's so," said our friend. "Last they said they'd give twenty dollars a-piece, and after a deal o' trouble we got 'em berths, and paid half the money down; now they want to back out of it."

"Oh, yes," cried the second man; "that won't do here, mates."

"It's not true," I said, indignantly. "And now wants to bounce me out of it. Here, yew wouldn't hev that, mates, would yew?"