Sir Humphrey shrugged his shoulders, and smiled at his brother.
“Then look here, sir,” said the captain, “if you’ll reckon all you’re worth, multiply it by ten, and then do that again and offer it to me for my life, I won’t take it—there!”
“No, captain, I don’t suppose you would,” said Sir Humphrey, smiling. “But if you feel disposed to undertake this journey, and in an honest business-like spirit set down what you consider would be a fair payment for the use of your brig and the services of yourself and crew, I have no doubt that I shall close with you at once.”
“And about what we get during the voyage—gold and silver and precious stones?”
“Or more likely strange specimens of unknown animals, plants, and curiosities, captain. Well, of course they would belong to me.”
“Yes,” said the captain thoughtfully; “that would be only fair. But there’s another thing, sir: I’ve got a medicine-chest, and I know how to mix up a powder or a draught for the men in an ordinary way; but I don’t think anyone ought to go right up country like you talk of doing without having a doctor on board who could physic for fevers and stop holes and plaster up cuts, and deal with damages generally. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“You would have such a person on board, captain, for I have studied medicine and surgery, and practised for six years busily before I succeeded unexpectedly to my property and title, and then determined to see more of the world in which we live.”
“H’m!” said the captain, looking from one to the other thoughtfully; “I don’t like knocking about in strange places begging for a cargo, and I don’t like driving my brig through the sea light in ballast. You’ve took me at a weak time, sir.”
“Stop!” said Sir Humphrey sternly. “I don’t want to take advantage of any man at a weak time and bribe him into undertaking a task over which he would repent.”
“I’m not that sort of chap, sir,” said the captain shortly. “If I make a bargain I stick to it, and I answer for my lads.”