“The trouble is while I can spare the time I can’t spare the money. I’d take you up in a minute if it wasn’t for that.”
“Never mind the money—I’ll foot the bill,” answered Hockley, never dreaming of how his offer would result. “I’d like to have a companion who had been around and who knew where the real sport lay. You come with me, and you can return to Curaçao after our crowd leaves Caracas.”
A talk of half an hour followed. Markel pretended to be unwilling to accept the generous offer at first, but at length agreed to go with Hockley and remain with him so long as the Strong party stopped at Caracas. He was to show Hockley all the “fancy sports” of the town and introduce him to a number of swells and “high rollers.” On the strength of the compact he borrowed fifty dollars on the spot, giving his I. O. U. in exchange, a bit of paper not worth the ink used in drawing it up.
CHAPTER VI
A PLAN THAT FAILED
“Hockley has found a new friend,” observed Mark to Sam that afternoon. “A man a number of years older than himself, too.”
“So I’ve noticed, Mark. I must say I don’t quite fancy the appearance of the stranger.”
“Nor I. He looks rakish and dissipated. I wonder where he is bound?”
“I heard him speaking about getting off at Curaçao. If that’s the case we won’t have him with us after to-morrow.”
“Do we stop at the island to-morrow?”
“Yes, we’ll be there before noon, so the professor says.”