Mr. Thorne laughed. “All right,” he assented and, approaching the edge of the upper deck where the first-class passengers were quartered, he leaned over and beckoned to one of the Indian boys who was dozing in a cotton hammock he had swung in the shade.
“Hey, Joseph!” he called. “Makeum for come here, this side.”
The Akawoia grinned, stretched himself, and came padding on bare feet up the ladder.
“This fellow Buck name Joseph!” said Mr. Thorne, as the two boys looked at the pleasant-faced Indian whose head scarcely reached Tom’s shoulder. “He one plenty good boy. Makeum for tellum white boy how can speakum talky-talky, Joseph.”
Joseph half turned his head and, fixing his eyes on the deck, twiddled his toes in an embarrassed manner.
“No makeum for shame!” went on the explorer. “This fellows white boys makeum plenty long walk topside ’long we. Him wantum sabby plenty--wantum sabby Buck talk, wantum sabby bush, how can makeum for hunt, how catchum fish. Must for tellum, Joseph, must for makeum good fren’.”
The Indian grinned and looked up. “Me tellum, Chief,” he replied in a soft, low voice. “Me be plenty good fren’ lon’side him. How you call-urn?”
“This fellow makeum call Tom,” replied Mr. Thorne, introducing the boys, “Nex’ fren’ makeum call Frank.”
Joseph shook hands gravely with the boys and smiled in a friendly way.
“S’pose you want makeum one walk. S’pose no sabby bush me tellum like so,” he remarked, and then, evidently thinking there was nothing more to be said, he turned and walked silently away.