Jaques led the way through a door to the back premises, where in a shed were the diving suits, the pump, the air tubes, all nearly new and in good working order. The pump was constructed so that it could be fixed in a boat or be used from on board ship. La Belle Arlésienne had a boat that would do for the work to a nicety, she would have to be hauled across the islet and floated in the lagoon. The busy mind of the captain was arranging all these details as he examined the gear. Then, turning to Jaques:
“Three hundred for the hire and not a cent more.”
“Five hundred and not a cent less. Why should I let you have a thing for three hundred which I can hire out to someone else for five—that is not business.”
“Four hundred, come, the money down and the deposit.”
“Five hundred and not a cent less.”
“Four-fifty.”
“Why should I defraud myself of fifty dollars.”
“Well, five hundred be it.”
“And of course, M. le Capitaine, you will be responsible for any injury to the apparatus.”
“There will be no injury—and now that we have concluded business, I’ll tell you the name of the man who wanted to cut me out—who wanted to hire these things.”