The Flag of Distress: A Story of the South Sea. Reid Mayne
the freight, and a hundred each for the three passages. Will that satisfy you, señor?”
“It seems a large sum,” rejoins Don Gregorio. “But I am aware prices are high just now; so I agree to it. When will you be ready to sail?”
“I am ready now, señor – that is, if – ”
“If what?”
Lantanas, remembering his crewless ship, does not make immediate answer.
“If,” says the Spaniard, noticing his hesitation, and mistaking the reason – “if you’re calculating on any delay from me, you needn’t. I can have everything on board in three or four days – a week at the utmost.”
The skipper is still silent, thinking of excuses. He dislikes losing the chance of such a profitable cargo, and yet knows he cannot name any certain time of sailing, for the want of hands to work his vessel.
There seems no help for it but to confess his shortcomings. Perhaps Don Gregorio will wait till the Condor can get a crew. The more likely, since every other vessel in port is in a similar predicament.
“Señor,” he says at length, “my ship is at your service; and I should be pleased and proud to have you and your ladies as my passengers. But there’s a little difficulty to be got over before I can weigh anchor.”
“Clearance duties – port dues to be paid. You want the passage-money advanced, I presume? Well, I shall not object to prepaying it in part. How much will you require?”
“Mil gracias, Señor Montijo. It’s not anything of the kind. Although far from rich, thank Heaven, neither I nor my craft is under embargo. I could sail out of San Francisco in half-an-hour, but for the want of – ”
“Want of what?” asks Don Gregorio in some surprise.
“Well, señor – sailors.”
“What! Have you no sailors?”
“I am sorry to say, not one.”
“Well, Captain Lantanas, I thought it strange observing nobody aboard your ship – except that black fellow. But I supposed your sailors had gone ashore.”
“So have they, señor; and intend staying there. Alas! that’s the trouble. They’ve gone off to the gold-diggings – every one of them, except my negro cook. Likely enough, I should have lost him too, but he knows that California is now part of the United States, and fears that some speculating Yankee might make a slave of him, or that perchance he might meet his old master: for he has had one.”
“How vexatious all this!” says Don Gregorio. “I suppose I shall have to look out for another ship.”
“I fear you’ll not find one much better provided than mine – as regards sailors. In that respect, to use a professional phrase, we’re all in the same boat.”
“You assure me of that!”
“I do, señor.”
“I can trust you, Captain Lantanas. As I have told you, I’m not here without knowing something of yourself. You have a friend in Don Tomas Silvestre?”
“I believe I have the honour of Don Tomas’s friendship.”
“Well, he has recommended you in such terms that I can thoroughly rely upon you. For that reason, I shall now make more fully known to you why I wish to travel by your ship.”
The Chilian skipper bows thanks for the compliment, and silently awaits the proffered confidence.
“I’ve just sold my property here, receiving for it three hundred thousand dollars in gold-dust – the same I intended for your freight. It is now lying at my house, some three miles from town. As you must be aware, captain, this place is at present the rendezvous of scoundrels collected from every country on the face of the habitable globe, but chiefly from the United States and Australia. They live, and act, almost without regard to law; such judges as they have being almost as great criminals as those brought before them. I feel impatient to get away from the place; which under the circumstances, you won’t wonder at. And I am naturally anxious about my gold. At any hour a band of these lawless ruffians may take it into their heads to strip me of it – or, at all events, attempt to do so. Therefore, I wish to get it on board a ship – one where it will be safe, and in whose captain I can thoroughly confide. Now, you understand me?”
“I do,” is the simple response of the Chilian. He is about to add that Don Gregorio’s property, as his secret, will be safe enough, so far as he can protect it, when the latter interrupts him by continuing:
“I may add that it is my intention to return to Spain, of which I am a native – to Cadiz, where I have a house. That I intended doing anyhow. But now, I want to take departure at once. As a Spaniard, señor, I needn’t point out to you, who are of the same race, that the society of California cannot be congenial – now that the rowdies of the United States have become its rulers. I am most anxious to get away from the place, and soon as possible. It is exceedingly awkward your not having a crew. Can’t something be done to procure one?”
“The only thing is to offer extra pay. There are plenty of sailors in San Francisco; for they’ve not all gone to gather gold. Some are engaged in scattering it. Unfortunately, most are worthless, drunken fellows. Still it is possible that a few good men might be found, were the wages made sufficiently tempting. No doubt, an advertisement in the Diario, offering double pay, might attract as many as would be needed for working my ship.”
“How much would it all amount to?”
“Possibly an extra thousand dollars.”
“Suppose I pay that, will you engage the whole ship to me? That is, take no other passengers, or wait for any more freight, but sail at once – soon as you’ve secured a crew? Do you agree to these terms?”
“Si, señor; they are perfectly satisfactory.”
“I’ll be answerable for the extra wages. Anything to get away from this Pandemonium of a place.”
“In that case, señor, I think we’ll have no great difficulty in procuring hands. You authorise me to advertise for them?”
“I do,” answers Don Gregorio.
“Enough!” rejoins the skipper. “And now, Señor Montijo, you may make your preparations for embarking.”
“I’ve not many to make; nearly all has been done already. It’s only to get our personal baggage aboard, with the freight safely stowed. By the way,” adds the Biscayan, speaking sotto-voce, “I wish to ship the gold as soon as possible, and without attracting attention to it. You understand me, captain?”
“I do.”
“I shall have it brought aboard at night, in a boat which belongs to Silvestre. It will be safer in your cabin than anywhere else – since no one need be the wiser about the place of deposit.”
“No one shall, through me.”
“That I feel certain of, Señor Lantanas. Don Tomas is your endorser; and would be willing to be your bondsman, were it needed – which it is not.”
Again the Condor’s captain bows in acknowledgment of the confidence reposed in him; and after some further exchange of speech, respecting the shipment of the treasure, and the writing out an advertisement, which Don Gregorio is to get inserted in the Diario, the latter returns to his boat, and is rowed back to the shore; while the Chilian lights a fresh cigarette, and with elbows rested on the capstan-head, resumes his customary attitude of insouciance, from which he had been temporarily roused.
Chapter Eighteen.
In Search of a Second
Just about the time Don Gregorio is taking leave of Captain Lantanas, the two unwelcome, as unreceived, visitors are turning their backs upon his house.
De Lara feels his discomfiture the keenest. His heart is harrowed with mingled emotions – passions of varied complexion, all evil. His lips are livid with rage, his brow black with chagrin, while