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Vanderzee.
 You better cut over across the river, said Dinshaw,  and tell him
you re ready and you ll have the Nuestra alongside the Mole by
dark to take on stores, or he ll have another boat. He said somethin
about knowin a man out here who had a yacht, comin down from
Japan.
 Smoke, said Peth.
 I wonder, remarked Jarrow, scratching his head.  Sure ye didn t
lift that ten-peso bill from Prayerful Jones? I ll be bugs myself if I
listen to you.
 Hood ll listen, said Dinshaw, crisply, and made a new effort to
reach the door.
 Vhy don d you to der Pay Few go? suggested Vanderzee.
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Isle O Dreams
Jarrow looked at himself.  I d have to shift my duds, he said,  and
I ain t for huntin sharks eggs on Looney s say. What ye think,
Peth? Shall we fill up that way?
 I ain t no hand for them swells, said Peth.  You go, cap n, an I ll
stand by down here with Dinshaw.
 Vait! said Vanderzee, holding up a black hand.  Vot s der name?
Locke! He stepped into a tiny office behind the bar. They heard him
asking the clerk at the Bay View if there was a man named Locke
staying there. In an instant he was back again, grinning.
 Iss! he exclaimed.  So soon I know, I hang opp.
 Well, said Jarrow, who was still in doubt as to what he should do,
 that s somethin to know. Maybe some rich tourist did fall for
Looney s yarn.
Peth went back to the bar and leaned against it as if he had made up
his mind not to move until Jarrow reached some decision.
 By the Mighty Nelson, I ve got a twist in my chains to take a run
over to the hotel!
 Shoot, said Peth, displaying more interest than he had at any time
since Dinshaw had arrived.
 Come along, Peth, said Jarrow.  I ll git into some fresh duds, and
you brail yerself up to look smart, and we ll drift over in a carromata.
Will you wait here, Dinshaw?
 I ll wait, Jarrow, I ll wait. Tell him I sent ye, and he ll know. It s
all settled right enough if you lay alongside and make fast, and no
time lost.
 See that he don t git away, Jarrow whispered to Vanderzee.  I
can t take no chances with this and keep him quiet in there.
Pointing to the alcove, Jarrow slipped out through the door,
followed by Peth, close at heel, like a well-trained dog behind his
master.
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Isle O Dreams
 It s this way, said Jarrow, as they made their way between the
bales and barrels among the workers on the Mole.  Maybe Looney
give  em hot shot about this island and they re keen to go, thinkin
there s bunches of gold there, which I know ain t so. But it don t
matter if we git a charter at fifty a day or so, and drag it out into a
couple of weeks.
 We ll want our own crew, suggested Peth.
 Bevins, said Jarrow.
 Shope, said Peth.
 And Doc Bird for steward, and Shanghai Tom ships as cook.
 Right. Ye leave it to me, and if there s anything in it, I ll have all
hands come dark.
 I ain t hatchin no chickens on what Looney said, cautioned
Jarrow,  but if there s a man who s lit up on Looney s island-o -
gold yarn, it ain t my way to throw sand in his eyes. And if we do
find gold that s two tails to the cat. We ll take things as they lay.
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Isle O Dreams
CHAPTER IV
Captain Jarrow Goes Cruising in Strange Waters
Captain Jarrow and Mr. Peth were driven across the Bridge of Spain
and up Bagumbayan Drive past the Walled City in a carromata, and
disembarked from the native rig at the edge of the Luneta, whence
they proceeded to the Bay View Hotel.
Jarrow wore a new white suit, squeaky French shoes of yellow hue,
and an aura of perfumed soap. Mr. Peth felt uncomfortably
respectable in blue serge and a shirt with a starched collar.
 I might ha stayed back, grumbled Peth, as they mounted the
stoop of the deserted veranda.
 You lay a course for the bar while I brace the gent at the office,
said Jarrow.  Don t have nothin to say.
Mr. Peth measured the veranda with his long legs and disappeared
into the bar, while Jarrow squeaked his way into the palms and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]