"When do you sail?"

"As soon as I can get a ship."

"Plenty lying about waiting for cargo. Take your choice."

"That seems to be easier said than done, captain, for I am hard to please."

"So'm I," said the visitor, staring hard at Rodd, beginning with the crown of his head and then looking him slowly down where he sat till he reached the carpet by Rodd's right foot, and then making his eyes cross over, he began at the toe of the boy's left foot and slowly looked him up to where he had started at the top of the boy's forehead, where a tickling sensation had commenced, consequent upon the starting out of a faint dew of perspiration.

"I'm glad to hear it," said the doctor, "for I want a well-found craft, new or nearly so, built of the best materials."

"Good; ought to be. What sort?"

"Well, I should like a large schooner, fast and with plenty of room below."

"Cargo?" grunted the captain.

"No. Provisions, etcetera," said the doctor, who was beginning to feel annoyed.

"Ho!" came in a grunt, and then after a keen look at Rodd's uncle, he uttered the one word, "Weepens?"

"Weepens?" said the doctor.

"Yes. Long Tom and small-arms."

"Oh, arms. Yes, I should certainly have one of those big swivel guns amidships, and a couple of smaller ones, as well as muskets, cutla.s.ses and boarding pikes."

So far the captain's features seemed as if they had been carved out of solid mahogany, but now they began to relax; his lips parted, and he showed a small even set of beautifully white teeth, while his eyes looked brighter to Rodd and seemed to twinkle; but he remained silent.

"Well," said the doctor, "what are you laughing at?"

He checked the word which had nearly escaped his lips, because he thought it would be rude, and he did not say grinning.

"Cat," said the man solemnly, and to Rodd's great discomposure he turned to him and winked.

"Cat?" said the doctor sharply.

"Ay, ay! Out of the bag."

"I don't understand you," said the doctor warmly.

"Won't do for me, master. Not in my way."

"Well," said the doctor, "I am afraid I must say you are not in my way."

"Poor beggars!"

"Well, really, my good man," began the doctor, "I am a bit of a student, and take a good deal of interest in natural history. Cats may be poor beggars, but that is no business of mine."

"Yes, if you are going to sail. Think of your crew."

"I am thinking of my crew, and I want to engage one," said the doctor.

"Men hate black cats. Unlucky."

"I have heard of that superst.i.tion before, Captain Chubb," said the doctor, "but that seems to be quite outside our business now. As a captain--or skipper--I should have thought you would have been above such childish notions."

"Am," said the man. "T'other won't do for me. I've seen it all. Won't get a skipper from this port."

"Why?" said the doctor indignantly. "I am ready to give an experienced captain good payment."

"Want commission."

"Oh, nonsense! I couldn't pay on commission."

"Nowt to me. That's what a skipper would want. Ought to be ashamed of yourself."

"Well, of all--" began the doctor; but the skipper did not let him finish.

"Too bad," he said, growling; "and to take a boy like that!"

"My good fellow," said the doctor, "if I choose to take my nephew with me upon a natural history expedition--"

"Natural history expedition! Catching blackbirds! Oh, I say!"

He shook his head slowly at the doctor, whose face grew so red with wrath as he turned towards Rodd, and looked so comical, that the boy could not contain himself, but bent his face down into his hands and burst into a roar of laughter.

"You are a nice 'un," grunted the captain, shaking his head now at Rodd.

"You'll grow into a beauty!"

It was the boy's turn to look angry now, and he glanced from the captain to his uncle and back.

"Look here, youngster," cried the captain; "Guinea Coast, eh?"

"Possibly," said the doctor.

"Bight of Benin?"

"Maybe," said the doctor, the short speech seeming contagious.

"Ketch the fever?"

"Probably," said the doctor.

"Both on yer."

"Well, sir, I shall risk that," continued the doctor.

"Both on yer off your heads, seeing n.i.g.g.e.rs. Rattling their chains."