The Golden Magnet Part 50

"'Badiah P. Perks, please mister. Now, then, is it square and confidence, and 'Badiah P. Perks' friends, or isn't it?"

"I shall place every confidence in the captain of our vessel, Mr Perks."

"'Badiah P. Perks, mister."

"Mr Obadiah P. Perks," I said.

"Drop that O, stranger. Don't belong. 'Badiah P. Perks, mister."

"Mr 'Badiah P. Perks," I said.

"And my folks calls me Kyaptin," said the skipper. "Say, it's wonderful how much ignorance there is 'mongst you Englishers. Wal, I won't say I'll take you, stranger, till I've brought one o' these here yellow n.i.g.g.e.r officers to look over them chesties, and see if there's anything in 'em as is contraband."

I could not help changing colour, and the fellow saw it. He suspected my motives evidently, and with a smile he turned to go, reaching the door slowly and then pausing, as if he expected me to call him back, but as I did not he hesitated.

"Say, mister," he said, "s'pose anny time'll do for me to bring down the yaller n.i.g.g.e.r chap?"

I was so wroth with the scoundrel and his cool impudence that I took a defiant tone and said shortly:

"Any time you like, Captain Perks."

"'Badiah P. Perks, mister. All right. I won't be long."

"But mind this," I said, "you are doing it for your own amus.e.m.e.nt, for I shall advise my uncle not to go by your vessel."

"Riled, mister? Jest a little bit, eh? All right. You'll cool down by the time I've got the custom-house chap here, and then we can settle terms."

He went off laughing, and for the moment I felt as if we were in his power.

"All my labour will have been thrown away, Tom," I cried, "and we shall be called upon for explanations that I cannot give."

I called my uncle into the consultation, and we agreed that the best line to take was the defiant one.

"We are under no engagement to this fellow, Harry," said my uncle; "and we need not enter into one, as he would fleece you--perhaps rob you.

For, once at sea on the vessel of such a man, he can play tyrant and do as he pleases."

"You are right, uncle; we will not go. But if he returns with one of the Spanish officials, what then?"

"Set him at defiance; and if you are driven to extremities, appeal to the British vice-consul for aid."

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO.

HELP AT A PINCH.

Captain Obadiah P. Perks came back at the end of an hour, when I had pretty well ripened my plans, and, retiring within the house, I left Tom to deal with him.

A tall, dark Spaniard was the captain's companion, and he might have been an official or an impostor in the skipper's pay. It was impossible to judge, though he wore something purporting to be a uniform.

"Wal, mister," the skipper said to Tom, "where's your young boss?"

"Busy," said Tom, blocking the doorway and coolly smoking his pipe.

"Then just you go and tell him that Kyaptin 'Badiah P. Perks is here with a gentleman who'll overhaul that stack o' chesties, and say whether I can take 'em board o' my schooner without getting into trouble."

"Oh! Mas'r Harry won't get you into no trouble, cap'en," said Tom, "nor he won't give you no trouble. He's altered his mind and won't go."

"Oh, no, he haven't," said the skipper. "Just you go and say Kyaptin 'Badiah P. Perks is here and wants to see him tew wunst."

For answer Tom drew a long breath and puffed out a cloud of smoke at the skipper.

"Air yew a-going?" said the latter.

"No," said Tom, "I air not. My young master don't want you, nor your s.h.i.+p, nor anything else. You wouldn't take the job when you could get it, so now it's gone."

The Yankee skipper turned of a warmer yellow, and there was a malignant gleam in his closely-set eyes as he thrust one hand into his pocket and drew it out directly.

"Here, I don't want to quarrel along o' you," he said sharply. "Go and tell him I want him, and he must come."

"Sha'n't," said Tom coolly. "Who are you ordering about? This here ain't aboard s.h.i.+p."

"It would be okkard fur yew, boy, if it weer board s.h.i.+p," snarled the skipper, going close up and thrusting his ugly face almost in Tom's.

"Yew just do as I tell yew, my lad, 'fore it's worse for yew. Guess I don't want to quarrel."

"And guess I don't want to quarrel with you," said Tom; "though I allus have felt as if I should like to whack a sailor."

The man's hand went to his pocket again, but in spite of his furious glances Tom did not for a moment quail, giving him back again look for look.

"Guess it 'll be the worse for yew, stranger," said the skipper, "if you don't go and fetch out that theer fellow o' yourn."

"Guess it 'll be the worse for you, skipper, if you get shoving that sharp nose o' yours in my face," said Tom. "You ain't skretched me with it yet, but if you do, ware hawk!"

The man's face was a study. He wanted evidently to seize Tom and thrust him aside, but there was something so solid and muscular about Tom's body, and something so hard and bull-like about Tom's head, that few people would have cared to tackle him; and certainly, seeing how determined he was, the skipper did not feel disposed.

"Here, hi! you Englisher," shouted the fellow, "come out. I want a word with you."

"I say, don't make that row front of our house," said Tom. "There's ladies here; and if you do it again I shall have to do what they does at home with noisy people--move you on."

The skipper made a menacing movement towards Tom, and I was ready to go to his a.s.sistance, but Tom did not stir, only clenched his hand slowly in so ominous a manner that the skipper went no farther, but turned and advanced to his companion, before again approaching my faithful companion.

"Now, look ye here, mister," said the skipper. "I don't want to hurt you, so just you either get out o' the way or fetch your boss."

"If you don't get out," said Tom slowly, "I shall have to make you.

Mas'r Harry don't want no trade with you at all, so s'pose you be off while your shoes are good."

"I will be off," said the skipper with a snarl, "and bring them here as will open some of your eyes a bit, and them chesties too."