Harry made a wry face; the skipper saw it, and said: “There’s more prejudice; but when you’ve been at sea as long as I have, you’ll think less about the cargo than what you get per ton for the freight.”
“I’d not turn slaver, anyhow; that much I can tell you,” said he, stoutly.
“I’d not do it myself, Sir, except when business was alack and freights low. It ain’t cheering, noways; and there’s a certain risk in it besides. Towers and Smales—Towers and Smales!” muttered he over to himself three or four times. “They’d not be the men they are to-day, I can tell you, if they never traded in ebony ware! Had you any talk with your grand friend, Sir Gervais, about that loan he offered me?” asked he, after a pause.
“Not a word. I came away hurriedly. I had no good opportunity to speak about it.”
“He said, ‘Two thousand, and pay when I like;’ not hard terms certainly.”
“And yet I’d rather you’d not accept them,” said Harry, slowly.
“Not take money without interest charged or security asked? What do you mean?”
“I mean, I rather you’d wait till I’ve seen those lawyers that managed my father’s affairs, and see whether they can’t sell that trifle of property that comes to me.”
“Why, didn’t you tell me your father willed it away to some peasant girl?”
“Yes, the island, for the entail had been broken by my grandfather, but the small estate in Roscommon goes to the next of kin, and that happens to be myself. It must be very little worth, but it may help us at least to get a ship, and we’ll soon do the rest ourselves.”