The captain mumbled a little, and by the light of the swinging lanthorn Brace caught a gleam of white teeth, and knew that he was laughing.
“That was what he’d call bunkum, and we call bounce, squire. Of course I shouldn’t have put him ashore. But I felt as if I meant to when I said it.”
“Then you are not so very much dissatisfied, captain?” said Sir Humphrey.
“Yes, I am, sir, for I don’t like to be bested. No man does, especially by one of these clever ’Merican chaps. For they are clever, there’s no getting over that.”
“I don’t like that either,” said Sir Humphrey; “but it’s evident that this man is an enthusiast in travel and natural history.”
“Oh, yes, sir; but why don’t he go and enthoose in somebody else’s vessel? I’m afraid you’ve been cutting us out an awkward job to get on with that customer.”
“I hope not,” said Sir Humphrey. “He promises very fairly.”
“Yes, sir, but will he perform? You see, if he was an Englishman he might, but I never knew an American yet who liked to play second fiddle in anything. But there, sir, you’re chief, and I don’t see how, short of going back again to set him ashore, you could have done anything else.”
“Thank you, captain,” said Sir Humphrey. “I did what I thought was best under the circumstances.”
“You did, sir. Squire here—Mr Brace—thought I was going to turn rusty, I suppose.”