“Say, mister—” commenced the American.
“Pray, excuse me,” interrupted Mr Meldrum, “I’ll speak to you when I come down again; I must join the captain now, as you see;” and he hurried to the companion-way, Captain Dinks standing aside and motioning to him to go up first.
“Say, Cap—” called out Mr Lathrope, not to be baffled.
“Can’t stop now,” curtly replied Captain Dinks; and he, too, disappeared in the rear of Mr Meldrum.
“Now, I do jest wonder what them two coons hev on hand?” said the American, when they had thus left him with his curiosity unslackened; “I’m durned if I don’t go up myself and see: people must rise pretty airly o’ mornin’s to take a rise out of this old hoss!”
A roll of the ship, however, coming as soon as he had risen from his seat, settled his inquisitiveness. “I guess I’d better bide har,” he murmured to himself, uttering his thoughts aloud. “This air vessel’s a durned sight too skittish on her footing to please me, an’ that air ramshackly arm o’ mine might git squoze agin if I went on deck! No, I guess I’ll bide har in the land of Gilead—Steward!” he added, raising his voice.
“Yes, sir,” answered Llewellyn, coming out of his pantry.
“Hev you got any coffee or tea fixins?”
“No, sir, that lazy nigger Snowball says he can’t light the galley fire.”
“Does he? I’d make him smell fire if I’d got him out on the plantation whar I was riz! Then, bring me a glass of brandy and water, and make it stiff: I allers go in fur temperance drinks when I can get them, that is before sundown; but if I’m obleeged to take pizen, why, I likes it strong!”