“Oh, they’ll work well enough!” admitted the doctor. “But they’re rather like animals. Watch them, now.”
He took out a penny, holding it aloft for a moment. The ship was nearly alongside the wharf, and his action was instantly noticed by the noisy black throng below, who broke into imploring shouts. The penny, flung among them, fell on the wharf, burying itself in coal-dust; but almost before it had fallen the Kaffirs had hurled themselves upon it, shouting, fighting, scrambling, packed somewhat like a football “scrum,” with bare, brown backs heaving and struggling. Those unable to get into the mêlée hovered on the outskirts, relieving their feelings by beating the backs of their friends wildly. For a few moments complete pandemonium reigned. Then a big fellow heaved himself out of the press and sprang aside, brandishing the penny aloft, and grinning from ear to ear. The others took his victory in perfect good part, grinning as widely themselves, and making no attempt to interfere with the victor as he tucked away his booty in some obscure corner of his ragged and scanty clothing.
“Losh!” ejaculated Jim. “Never did I see such exertion over one small penny!”
“It would be just the same over a halfpenny,” the doctor said. He threw one—and the scene was reenacted, with equal vigour. The successful combatant was a mere boy, who executed a dance of triumph as he concealed the spoils of war.
The other passengers on the Perseus had taken up the game by this, and coppers fell freely on the wharf; some caught in the air, others made the centres of more wild struggles.
“Big animals—that’s all they are,” the doctor said, looking at the heaving mass of brown backs. “It’s all very well when they scramble for coppers; but they will fight in precisely the same way for the most disgusting-looking refuse from the cook’s galley, flung into the coal-dust as those pence are flung. The winners gather up their prizes and proceed to eat them, coal-dust and all. It isn’t an edifying sight. You wouldn’t think it pretty if they were pariah dogs—but considered as human beings, well——!” The doctor left his sentence eloquently unfinished.
Along the deck came Mr. Linton, hurriedly, his face full of joy.
“Dad’s got news,” Jim said, quickly.
“News!—I should think so!” said his father. “We’ve got the Emden!”
“No!”