It was that of Nat Slater, the “deck hand” of the Rhode Island steamboat!
Fritz was perfectly astounded to find him now amongst the Tristaners. How came he there? What could possibly have become of the Pilot’s Bride and Captain Brown?
These were the anxious thoughts that at once flashed through the mind of the young German, and his brother shared his anxiety to an equal extent.
Nat Slater however did not keep them long in suspense.
“I guess,” he said—as soon as they reached the beach and accosted the islanders, who received them very coldly they could perceive, as if looking upon them now as rivals in the same pursuit—“me and the old man couldn’t drive the same team long. We had a muss together, soon as you parted company, an’ I asked him to put me ashore at Tristan, thinking to ship in another whaling craft; but, I’m blest if ary a one’s called thar since the Pilot’s Bride sailed, so I’ve ben forced to chum in with these islanders!”
“Did you get on a spree, or what, to make Captain Brown leave you behind?” asked Fritz, judging by what the skipper had told him of Mr Nathaniel Slater’s character that the real facts of the case might put quite another complexion on his plausible statement, that the skipper had quarrelled with him.
“Waall, I reckon, I did go on a bit of a bender aboard,” said the whilom deck hand in a drawling way. “I managed to stow away a couple o’ bottles of Bourbon whisky I got to Providence after I left hum, an’ I thought I would have a licker-up arter we parted with you an’ your brother, mister, I felt so kinder lonesome.”
“And I suppose you got so drunk that Captain Brown kicked you out of the ship?” exclaimed the young German indignantly. “Why, you knew his particular orders about never allowing any spirituous liquors on board his vessel when at sea!”
“I guess he wern’t boss of everybody,” said the American coolly. “An’ so I told him, too! But, say, mister, I’ve a kinder hankering to jine you and your brother haar; will you let a poor coon chum in?”
“No, I confess I would rather not,” was the instant reply that came from Fritz—a decision which, from his quick look of satisfaction, Eric most cordially shared in. “We did not appear to get on together very well before, and I certainly do not care to associate with any one who does not keep his word!”