"Aye, sir; it's a werry bad place indeed, Melindi. And may I ask, sir, if so be as we're a-going to stay with the yacht or go with Dr. Krausz?"
"Not decided yet, Solomon, to my knowledge. Why, do you want to go along with the relic-hunters?"
"No, sir, though I'm werry interested in strange things. Beggin' your pardon, sir, Dr. Krausz is all werry well in his way, but 'is way ain't to me notion."
"So you don't like him? That's queer!" Hammer pulled out his pipe, and, accepting this as tacit permission, Solomon began to whittle at a plug which he had been holding ready.
The wide blue eyes came up and met his squarely, with just the suspicion of a frown hovering at their edges. Hammer decided that his supercargo might yet inveigle some expression into his face if he kept on in this way.
"No, sir; me 'umble opinion is that Dutchmen ain't to be trusted, not so far away from 'ome; and I've 'ad some experience. Do you think, sir, as 'ow Mr. Harcourt would give me a discharge at Mombasa? O' course, I signed on for the voyage, sir, but I 'ave me reasons for wantin' to be stopping off at Mombasa, so I comes to you all square and above-board. If you want a thing, why, ask for it ship-shape, as the Good Book says, sir. That's what I 'old to."
"Right," nodded Hammer. He was no little surprised at the request; but as it would have been easy enough to slip the yacht at Mombasa, the fact that Solomon asked for his discharge so long beforehand showed a desire on his part to play fair—and also to draw his pay on being discharged.
"I'll speak to the captain about it, Solomon, and I think it'll be all right. But we'll be sorry to lose you, for you've certainly been a great help to us."
"I'm sorry to be leaving you, sir," and the blue eyes opened a trifle wider. "Thank you werry much, Mr. 'Ammer."
This was to be a day of surprises for Cyrus Hammer, however. The day was cruelly hot, even the breeze created by the yacht's motion being stifling, and by noon Hammer, as well as Schlak and the others aboard, had stripped to pyjamas.