“Very good, Sam.”
“Seems to me that’s fair and square,” added Archie.
“We’re furnishing the ship an’ crew,” remarked my father, musingly.
“True, sir,” responded Allerton readily. “But in those seven chests I have an outfit fully as important for the success of the expedition as your ship and crew. We will let one offset the other, if you like.”
“Suits me,” declared my father, who cared less for driving a bargain than for asserting the importance of the Seagull. “But it’s gettin’ pretty late, boys, and I’m sleepy. Guess my wooden leg’s fell asleep a’ready. So let’s turn in and do the rest o’ the talkin’ later on. There’ll be lots o’ time to figger everything out afore we round the Horn.”
So we separated, the group on deck breaking up.
CHAPTER IV
WE SCENT DANGER AHEAD
We were all somewhat thoughtful after this interview, for it was evident we had undertaken an adventure the details of which were quite obscure to us. For my part I was too nervous and excited to bunk in just yet, so I took Joe’s arm and we walked over to the bow, where the clear starlight enabled us to watch the Seagull cut her way through the water. Chaka was at the rail before us, and started to move away; but I stopped him, saying:
“We are all brothers now, Chaka, and therefore we must become better friends. Now that we are aware of your station and rank in your own country we stand equal.”
“Only that?” said Joe. “Is the Atkayma of the Itzaex merely the equal of a common seaman?”