“I ham consul’s clark, and I’ve come ’ere to see about those seamen you rescued from the wreck of the Hinglish ship Sea Gull. Muster them on deck, and I’ll take them hoff at once.”
“Produce a written order from Captain Gaylord to that effect, and I shall be glad to do so,” said Mr. Baldwin, who it was plain did not like the commanding tone assumed by the young Englishman. “I suppose you have one?”
“Naw, I ’ave not. I ’ave an horder from ’er Majesty’s consul, whose clark I ham.”
“I am not obliged to obey her Majesty’s consul,” replied Mr. Baldwin. “I am an American, and responsible to no one but my commander. Our own consul could not take these men away in Captain Gaylord’s absence, without first showing me a written order from him.”
“Then you refuse to give them hup?”
“Without an order? Yes, sir.”
The young Englishman fairly gasped while he listened to these words, which, had they been spoken by one of his own countrymen, he would no doubt have regarded as highly treasonable. When he found his tongue again he said he would see ’ow this thing stood, and whether or not ’er Majesty’s hofficers could be thus set at defiance; and as he spoke he threw one leg over the side as if he were about to climb down into his boat. Then he suddenly paused and gazed earnestly towards the nearest wharf—or we ought rather to say “quay,” for that is what they are called in that part of the world. He saw a boat approaching, and he made that an excuse to come back; but the boys, who had been interested and amused listeners to the conversation, shrewdly suspected that the real reason why he came back was because he knew that Mr. Baldwin was in the right. Like many persons who are clothed with a little brief authority, he felt himself to be very important, and wanted to make everybody with whom he came in contact bow to him.
“Aw!” said he, addressing himself to Frank, who had stepped to the side to hand him one of the man-ropes, “there’s the police commissioner’s boat coming, and I think I’ll stop and ’ave a look at those four convicts I ’ear you’ve got on board. Hif they’re the ones I think they hare hit’s a wonder they didn’t take your vessel from you. But it cawn’t be they—it cawn’t be.”
“I don’t know whom you have in your mind, of course,” replied Frank, who was highly amused by the patronizing manner in which the young Englishman addressed him. “One of them showed a disposition to smash things, but he is now in irons, while the others are in the forecastle under guard. The quarrelsome one gave the name of Waters.”
“Waters? Aw! it is he. It is weally wonderful how you managed to secure him, for he is a wetired membaw of the Hinglish prize wing. Hit must ’ave taken ’alf your crew to do it.”