“No, no, that was for fresh air. They’ll all be dead soon, I’m afraid.”
“Then why don’t you come and attend to ’em?” said Jarette.
“May I, Mr Jarette?” cried Mr Preddle, excitedly.
“To be sure you may, sir. You’ve only got to satisfy me that you’ve thrown over these people here, whom I have been obliged to shut up for violence. Cast in your lot with us, and there you are, quite free; and I’ll—come, I’ll make you naturalist to my expedition, and one of the chief men of my island.”
“Naturalist to your expedition?” faltered Mr Preddle, wondering at the language used by a man whom he had heretofore looked upon as a common sailor, perfectly uneducated, and ready for any amount of violence and rapine,—“chief man in your island!”
“To be sure.”
“But have you got an island?”
“Waiting for me to go and take it, sir; and there you can study nature at home,—just the place for gentlemen like you.”
“Ah, yes, that it is,” said Mr Preddle.
“You’ll join us then?”