At this Mark and Frank laughed outright.
“He was certainly a humorist, January,” said Mark.
“Massa was a cotton plantah, sah—had a big plantation on de ribber, sah. He’s dead an’ gone now, an’ so is de missus.”
“Well, then he was a planter as well as a humorist.”
“Didn’t nebber hear him say nuffin ’bout bein’ in de humorist business, sah. But I was a little piccaninny dem days an’ didn’t know nuffin. Den I can’t do nuffin fo’ you?”
“Not now, but we’ll want you later,” answered Mark, and January Jones shuffled off to call on the others.
“That’s what I call a character,” said Mark, after another laugh. “I reckon we can have some fun with January before this trip comes to an end.”
Early in the morning the Chester left the harbor of La Guayra, with its many ships of all nations and its strange native fishing smacks. The boys and the professor stood at the rail and remained there until land became a mere blur in the distance.
“Farewell to Venezuela!” cried Sam, taking off his hat and making a profound bow. “Our trip was full of pleasure and full of excitement. May the coming trip please us equally.”
“And be less full of peril,” added Professor Strong. “Too much excitement is worse than none at all.”