“I hope they’ll know the Zoe when they see her again,” he said to himself as he watched the movements of the craft, and then it seemed to him as if these inquisitive strangers must have some connection with the interpreter.
“I’m makin’ a fool of myself,” he said with a laugh as the boat was finally headed for the shore. “Just because I don’t like the man’s face I’m givin’ him the credit of bein’ a tough case, when most likely he’s a poor duffer who has never a thought of more than earning $2 a day by acting as interpreter for sea captains who can’t speak Spanish. It won’t do any harm to make preparations for trouble, though, even if there is precious little chance we shall ever have any.”
Half an hour later the party returned, evidently in the best of spirits.
Roy had kept his word in regard to buying fruit, and had brought off enough of all kinds to be found in the market, to provide for their wants during the next week.
“Did you have any trouble in exchanging the money,” Ned asked in a low tone as Roy came over the rail.
“None whatever. The broker seemed surprised to see the pieces, however, and he and the interpreter talked for a long while in Spanish. The machinists will come aboard bright and early to-morrow, and Manuel thinks he can find a competent engineer for us at a moment’s notice.”
“Who’s Manuel?”
“The interpreter, of course.”
“Say, Roy, give me about $30, will you?”
“It’s more yours than mine, so take as much as you want,” and Roy pulled from his pocket a handful of money. “What are you going to do with it?”