“But then we might never reach the shore,” said the Count slowly—“not with the brig—in spite of your kindly, I may say brotherly aid.”
Rodd felt that the Count’s son was still gazing at him searchingly, but he did not turn his head, for the doctor began speaking at once.
“Really, my dear sir,” he said almost curtly, “national dislike seems to exist to a great extent amongst your countrymen. Do you really think we English should be such barbarians as to sail away and leave a crippled ship to its fate?”
“No, no, no, doctor!” cried the Count warmly. “But how could I be so grasping as to ask you, full of your scientific pursuits as you are, to stand by us till we can reach the shore in safety?”
“You would not ask it, sir,” said the doctor warmly. “There would be no need. Of course my schooner will stand by you, ready to give you help until your brig is once more fit for sea.”
“Forgive me, doctor!” cried the Count eagerly.
“There is nothing to forgive, sir,” replied the doctor, “only I think I may say that saving in times of war there is no such thing as nationality amongst those who go to sea. My experience is that they are always brethren in times of distress.”
The Count held out his hand, which was warmly grasped, while the young French ex-prisoner looked at Rodd with eyes that seemed to speak volumes.
At this moment the skipper gave a grunt of satisfaction and broke in.
“There’s plenty of choice, gentlemen,” he said. “I’d venture to say I could find you the mouths of a dozen sluggish rivers up which you could go with the tide as far as you liked, and then moor our vessels to the forest trees, easily finding places close in shore where the tide as it went out would leave the brig here softly in the mud ready for careening over in a cradle where she wouldn’t strain or open a single seam; and the doctor here being willing, I’ll promise to take the job in hand and make the brig’s bottom as sound as ever it was, even if we have to strip off a little copper from along the top streak, where it isn’t so much wanted, so as to put new plates where the damaged ones have been.”