“Never waste a thought about me. I 'll buy a trabaccolo. They 're the handiest coasting craft that ever sailed; and I 'll see if the fruit-trade in the Levant won't feed me, and we 'll live here, Gusty, all together. Come now, tell me frankly, would you exchange that for Castello, if you had to go back there and live alone—eh?”
“I 'll not say I would; but—”
“There's no 'but;' the thing is clear and plain enough. This place would n't suit, Marion or Temple; but they'll not try it. Take my word for it, of all our fine acquaintances, not one will ever come down here to see how we bear our reduced lot in life. We 'll start fresh in the race, and we 'll talk of long ago and our grand times without a touch of repining.”
“I'm quite ready to try it, Jack.”
“That's well said,” said he, grasping his hand, and pressing it affectionately. “And you'll say 'No' to this offer? I knew you would. Not but the Frenchman is a fine fellow, Gusty. I did n't believe it was in his nation to behave as nobly; for, mark you, I have no doubts, no misgivings about his motives. I 'd say all was honest and above board in his offer.”
“I join you in that opinion, Jack; and one of these days I hope to tell him so.”
“That's the way to fight the battle of life,” cried the sailor, enthusiastically. “Stand by your guns manfully, and, if you 're beaten, haul down your flag in all honor to the fellow who has been able to thrash you. The more you respect him, the higher you esteem yourself. Get rid of that old lawyer as soon as you can, Gusty; he's not a pleasant fellow, and we all want Cutty back again.”
“Sedley will only be too glad to escape; he's not in love with our barbarism.”
“I'm to breakfast with Cutty this morning. I was nigh forgetting it. I hope I may tell him that his term of banishment is nearly over.”
“I imagine Sedley will not remain beyond to-morrow.”