"Passage-money, you white-livered swab!" roared Captain Restronguet. "Is that the way you would treat poor shipwrecked mariners? Send a boat instantly, and take these people to Messina. If I fail to hear of their safe arrival from the Consul of that port I will take good care to obtain satisfaction from you on your homeward voyage. Do you understand?"
"Yas, captain," replied the fellow, thoroughly cowed. "Me send boat."
"If that Greek scoundrel had not been so jolly mean I would have paid him well for his assistance," remarked Captain Restronguet to the sub. "As it is, not a penny will he get from me. Excuse me a few minutes, Mr. Hythe?"
So saying the captain went below; but hardly had his head and shoulders disappeared down the hatchway when he reappeared.
"Would you mind coming with me, Mr. Hythe?" he asked. "I am about to give that poor fisherman a small present to set him up after his severe loss. I prefer to perform little acts of this nature in private, but since I am unable to speak a word of their lingo I realize I must enlist your services. But, please, no mention of this to anyone on board."
Upon entering the cabin in which old Beppo and his grandson were, Captain Restronguet produced a leather pouch and took from it thirty English sovereigns. These he gave to the padrone and bestowed another gold coin upon the lad, whereupon the rescued Italians' thanks were so profuse and pantomimic that their benefactor asked the sub to tell them peremptorily to "shut up."
"And let them know that the British Consul at Messina will arrange for them to have the gold changed into the national currency," he added. "Here is a note explaining that this man came by the money honestly. I think His Britannic Majesty's Consul will recognize that the signature is genuine. Also tell Beppo that he is on no account to pay the Greek skipper anything for his passage beyond a fair price for all meals supplied."
So saying Captain Restronguet strode out of the cabin leaving the sub to explain matters to the bewildered padrone, to whom the gold was a sum greater than he could hope to amass in ten years' hard toil.
"Boat alongside, sir," announced Polglaze.
Followed by Beppo and his grandson, who, radiant with pleasure, had now almost forgotten the perils they had undergone, Hythe went on deck. Here were gathered almost every one of the officers and crew of the submarine, while in a gig made fast on the "Aphrodite's" starboard quarter were four disreputable-looking Greek seamen.