“Anegada?” I queried. “Where is that?”
“What!” exclaimed Pedro, “do you not know Anegada? Then you have never been to the West Indies?”
“That is very true,” I admitted. “I have never been to the other side of the Atlantic.”
“I was certain of it, or you would know Anegada,” answered Pedro. “Anegada is the most easterly of the Virgin Islands; and my father always endeavours to pick it up on his westerly runs. It makes a good landfall, and enables us to continue the rest of our run with confidence, and to dodge those pestilent cruisers of yours. Anegada once sighted, my father knows every inch of the rest of the way, and could take his ship from thence to Havana blindfold, I believe. But while we are talking this water is cooling, and I want to bathe your wound and bind it up afresh. So; am I hurting you?”
“Not at all,” I answered. “Your touch is as light as a woman’s. By the way, where are my clothes, Pedro? I shall turn out as soon as you have done with me, if you will kindly send somebody with some water. That ewer seems to be empty.”
“It can soon be filled, however,” remarked the lad. “As to your clothes, they are forward, drying. They were so stained and stiff with blood that you could not possibly have put them on again, so I had them washed. You see my clothes would not be big enough for you, while my father’s would be too big; so you will be obliged to make shift with what you have until we reach Havana. I am glad that you feel well enough to dress, for I am anxious that you should meet my father as soon as possible. I fervently hope that you will succeed in impressing him favourably.”
“Why?” I demanded, laughingly. “Is he so very formidable a personage, then?”
“Formidable enough, for one in your situation, if he should happen to take a dislike to you,” the lad answered gravely. “Not that I have very much fear of that, however,” he continued; “and in any case, my father is all right except when anything has occurred to vex him.”
“Well, I suppose that holds good of most people,” I remarked. “However, we must hope for the best. And now, since you have coopered me up so nicely, if you will let me have some water and my clothes, I will make my toilet as far as I can.”
Upon leaving my bunk I found that I was still very shaky, with a tendency to giddiness, added to which my head was aching most distressingly; but I thought it possible that these disagreeable symptoms would perhaps pass off as soon as I found myself in the open air; I therefore dressed as quickly as possible, and made my way on deck.