“No, we are all going home together.”
“Wonder at it when you might stay in A-murray-kay. I say, mister, you know, what’s in them chesties?”
He accompanied the question with a wink and a grin, and pointed over his shoulder towards the cases.
“I told you,” I replied, “curiosities.”
“Are they, though? Wonder what the custom chaps would call ’em when they overhauled them, eh?”
I was silent, for it was evident that the fellow suspected me of a desire to evade the regular authorities of the port.
“Come, mister,” he said with a grin, evidently divining my thoughts, “out with it, come; you want them chesties smuggled off on the quiet, don’t you now? Best take ’Badiah P. Perks into confidence, I guess; makes it smooth for all parties.”
“If you like to take our party and luggage to New York, Mr Perks,” I said quietly, “I am ready, as my uncle will be ready, to pay you well for the passage. Is it agreed?”
“Luggage, of course, mister; but them there arn’t luggage. Curiosities, didn’t you say? What’s in ’em?”
“That is my affair, Mr Perks.”