"It has to be admitted--it has been admitted--that my experiences as
President of the Republic of Nicaragua were not entirely to my
satisfaction. It was also easy for me to perceive that they were likely
to entail a coolness between myself and the confiding capitalist whose
money I had spent--a thing to be avoided if I hoped to have the spending
of more of his money at some future time.
"'This must not be,' I said to myself. 'Something must turn up--if not
in Nicaragua, then elsewhere. There are other Central American
republics besides Nicaragua, and in all of them the career is open to
the talents. But the adventure in which I next engage must not be one
involving the outlay of large sums of ready money, seeing that five
hundred dollars is my present worldly wealth.'
"Even as I was soliloquising, my opportunity occurred. Without
immodesty I may take some credit to myself for having recognised that
opportunity at a glance. The man who introduced it to my notice did
not; but, as I required his help, I soon explained it to him.
"His name was Captain Shagg--which, when you come to think of it, is
every bit as good a name as Cavendish--and he commanded the little
trading steamer on which Colorado Charlie had given me my free passage
back to San Francisco. Hardly had we cleared Managua Harbour than he
began to beguile the time by passing criticisms on Central American
republics generally.
"'They're lively places, sir, lively places. They may not be caught in
the great whirlpool of European complications; but they don't stagnate,
sir, they don't stagnate. If anyone was to come alongside and ask them
to stagnate, I sort of reckon they'd say they'd see him hanged first.
Here in Nicaragua they seem to be raising Cain with the generous help of
imported Amurrican citizens. Over in Salvador, from what they tell me,
they're raising Cain by their own individual efforts.'
"'This is very interesting,' I said. 'What's happening in San
Salvador?'
"'A revolution, sir--with trimmings.'
"'With what?' I repeated.
"'With trimmings, sir. And when I say trimmings, I mean shootings. And
I also mean destruction of property and outrages on British and
Amurrican subjects.'
"'Did you hear the story in any detail, captain?' I inquired.
"'Detail, sir? Yards of it, from a dago employed in the Amurrican
Consulate, who deserted his duties and came along here because he was
peaceably inclined. He told me that the American Consul was all right,
having started for his annual holiday just before the bust up began, but
the British Vice-Consul had his house wrecked and escaped to the
mountains in his nightshirt. He was only a dago, so I suppose the other
dagos thought they could do what they liked with him.'
"'And has the British Navy no word to say?' I interposed, and Captain
Shagg replied reflectively.
"'Wal,' he said, 'I guess there'll be a tea party, not to say a picnic,
when the British Navy comes along. But it ain't there yet, and in the
meantime the dago in the nightshirt will be taking cold. Strange as it
may seem, the Pacific Squadron is not permanently stationed off the
coast of Salvador."
"The outlines of my scheme had already begun to sketch themselves in my
brain.
"'I'll put another question to you, captain,' I said. 'A well-informed
man like yourself might know where the nearest British cruiser or
gunboat is, and how soon it is likely to arrive.'
"Captain Shagg mopped his brow and spat upon the deck, as is the habit
of American seafarers when engaged in thought.
"'So far as I know,' he answered, 'the nearest British gunboat is way
down off Colombia. When it arrives at Libertad will nat'rally depend
upon when it starts. Anyhow, I reckon it won't come alongside quite so
soon as the dago in the nightshirt would like to see it. And I also
reckon that dago wants to see it just as badly as he ever wanted to see
anything.'
"'You think it likely, then,' I continued, 'that we shall be off
Libertad before the gunboat?'
"'Why, certainly,' said Captain Shagg.
"Then I was able to fill in the outlines of my scheme.
"'_Voyons_!' I said, 'the voice of duty calls. It would be possible, I
take it, to make such alterations in the appearance of this steamer as
would cause it to be mistaken for a gunboat by persons whose
acquaintance with gunboats was not particularly extensive?'
"The captain spat again on the deck. He also half closed one of his eyes
and concentrated the other upon me.
"'Stranger,' he said, 'I reckon that you did not put that question to me
merely out of idle curiosity.'
"I half closed one of my own eyes, and admitted that I had been actuated
by a higher motive.
"'You have a notion, likely?' he continued.
"'I do not waste words,' I rejoined impatiently. 'I do not talk for the
sake of talking. I am Jean Antoine----'
"'Jest so,' said Captain Shagg. 'You have a notion. I have no notions
myself, but I have grit. And I'm a judge of notions--more particularly
over a glass of rum. The rum, stranger, is in my cabin.'
"He led the way to his cabin, and I followed him. He produced the rum,
and would not let me follow up the subject until we had both drunk two
stiff glasses of it, explaining that, for a proper appreciation of
notions a clear head was necessary. Then, having filled the glasses for
the third time, he got to business.
"'Now, stranger, what is your notion?' he inquired encouragingly.
"I answered by repeating my previous question--
"'I must first know whether you can do anything to this steamer to make
it pass, at a reasonable distance, and among comparatively ignorant
people, for a gunboat.'
"'Wal, yes,' said Captain Shagg. 'There's Union Jacks; there's paint;
there's timber to make dummy guns. Allowing that it was worth while, I
reckon it could be done. But what's your notion, stranger?'
"I explained that my notion was that we should disguise the trading
steamer as a gunboat, fly the Union Jack, and proceed to the port of
Libertad as the plenipotentiary representatives of the British
Government.
"Captain Shagg tossed off his glass of rum and shook hands with me in
his enthusiasm. "'_And_ bring off the dago in the nightshirt? _And_
arrest the President? _And_ drill a hole in him if he argues? Sir,
your notion is equally creditable to your heart and to your head. Sir,
it appeals to my chivalrous instincts as an Amurrican citizen. Sir, I
tumble.'
"I was not positive that he had caught my meaning quite so completely as
he fancied. For, as you shall see, the rescue of the British Vice-Consul
was not the only object that I had in view. As I had secured his
co-operation, however, it seemed superfluous to puzzle him with further
details, lest he should raise objections. It would be better, I felt,
to spring those details on him later, when there was no time for
argument. In the meantime we had plenty to do in deciding how certain
obvious obstacles should be overcome.
"First of all, I suggested, there were the feelings of the crew to be
considered; but it appeared that this difficulty was not serious.
"'You leave the crew to me, stranger,' said Captain Shagg. 'They're
spoiling for a fight, every man of them; and if they weren't, I'd put a
sense of dooty into them till they were.'
"Thus reassured, I lifted my hat and bowed in homage to this terrible
disciplinarian. He acknowledged the compliment by filling up my glass,
and then raised an objection of his own.
"'Those dagos aren't very spry, he said, 'but they aren't absolute
durned fools, either, and it's more than likely they'll expect us to
show some sort of papers, just by way of proving who we are, more
especially as you yourself, if I may say so, look more like a Smoky
Mountain prophet than a British naval officer.'
"This time it was my turn to acknowledge a compliment and reassure the
captain.
"'What can have led you to imagine that I propose to figure in the
ridiculous light of an ambassador without credentials? It would be too
absurd. Of course we shall present credentials.'
"'Wal, we ain't got the real thing aboard this ship, anyhow, I reckon,'
said Captain Shagg; and his stupidity amazed me.
"'Do you imagine that the newly elected provisional President of the
Republic of Salvador would be likely to recognise the real thing if it
were shown to him?' I retorted.
"Maybe not,' said the captain, cautiously. 'But I'd guess it's likely
there'd be somebody mouching around who'd recognise the substitute.'
"'You think so?'
"'Wal, why no? There's the ship's papers--they'd know those. There's
the log-book--they'd know that. There's my master's certificate--that
won't flummox 'em, either.'
"He was apparently intending to recite the complete list of more or less
official documents on board his vessel; but I interrupted him
impatiently, drawing a document from my own pocket.
"'No doubt they would know those documents,' I said. 'No doubt they
would also recognise your Post Office Savings Bank book, and your
marriage settlement, and your receipts for harbour dues, and your
tailor's bills, if those are documents which you are in the habit of
carrying about with you. But do you suppose the average newly elected
provisional President of the Republic of Salvador is likely to recognise
this?'
"And I unfolded my paper, which was mounted on canvas, and read with
solemn emphasis--
"_Dieu et Mon Droit_.
"_We, John, Earl of Kimberley, Baron Wodehouse, a Peer of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and a Baronet, a Member of Her
Britannic Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, a Knight of the Most
Noble Order of the Garter, Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs, etc., etc., etc._
"_Request and require in the name of Her Majesty all those whom it may
concern to allow Jean Antoine Stromboli Kosnapulski (British subject)
travelling on the Continent to pass freely without let or hindrance and
to afford him every assistance and protection of which he may stand in
need._
"_Given at the Foreign Office, London._
"The American skipper listened and was visibly impressed. It looked as
though his eyeballs would start from their sockets in his astonishment.
He banged the cabin table with his first, exclaiming--
"'Snakes alive, man! that is the real thing, ain't it?'
"I explained that it was merely an ordinary Foreign Office passport,
which I had acquired through my banker when, for a brief period, I had a
bank account in London; but Captain Shagg was not disheartened.
"'Wal,' he said, 'it bluffed me, anyhow. And I conclude that what is
good enough to bluff me is good enough to bluff the dagos. I'm with you,
stranger, in your gallant enterprise. Full speed ahead!'
"I further pointed out that, in order to carry conviction to the eye as
well as to the ear, the credentials of an envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary must be tied up in green ribbon and fastened
with green sealing-wax; and Captain Shagg, with the natural adroitness
of the sailor man, showed me how this could be managed.
"'I have no ribbon,' he said, 'but I can make some out of the lining of
my hat. I have no green sealing-wax, but I have plenty of green paint.
It won't be the real thing, any more than the papers are, but it will be
near enough for the dagos. And now we'll pipe all hands on deck and
tell the crew just what it's needful they should know."
"So, our plan being arranged, the preparations for carrying it through
were set in hand at once. We hove to in mid-ocean and gave the ship a
new coating of black paint; we holystoned the deck: we smartened up the
vessel's rig; we painted some spare spars and fixed up dummy guns; we
lettered H.M.S. _Terror_ on the caps of the crew of the gig; and we
hoisted the Union Jack conspicuously.
"The result was satisfactory. I do not say we could have stood
inspection by an admiral; but there was no admiral to inspect us.
Captain Shagg, at any rate, was gratified and confident.
"''Tain't the real thing,' he repeated, 'but it's near enough to bluff
the dagos. No dago will express doubts as to the genuineness of this
show--more especially when he observes that my hand is deep down in my
revolver pocket.'
"And he added, summing up the situation generally--
"'The proceedings may not be precisely regular, but they are regular
enough for dagos. On an errand of mercy, for the purpose of rescuing a
poor cuss catching cold on the hillside in his nightshirt, other
considerations besides those of regularity must be weighed. I stand in
with you, sir, in this enterprise, which, as I have remarked, does equal
credit to your heart and to your head: and if, as I venture to
anticipate, the British Government rewards you for your noble conduct, I
look to stand in with you in that little matter also.'
"For Captain Shagg, as I have hinted, was less quick-witted than myself.
He had not yet gathered in what manner I proposed to make the adventure
profitable, and I did not think it necessary to inform him before the
hour for taking profits came.
"As we conversed, however, we were quickly nearing the Port of Libertad,
and the hour for stirring action was at hand.
"Steaming slowly, we selected a point of vantage from which, if our guns
had been real guns, we could readily have shelled all the principal
public buildings of the town--yet so far out that we could not be too
critically examined. Then we manned a boat with the most presentable of
our sailors and rowed ashore.
"'You do the palavering, stranger,' said Captain Shagg. 'When the
shooting begins, I'll take a hand. I may not have the distinguished
manners of an ambassador, but I am uncommonly quick on the draw.'
"'You have only to put your trust in me, and there will be no need for
you to shoot,' I replied.
"'Shooting is a language that goes without the need of an interpreter,'
Captain Shagg protested.
"'So is my Spanish,' I answered proudly.
"'Go ahead, then!' said the captain; and we went ahead.
"A courteous official in a ragged uniform received us on the quay. He
represented the Custom-house, and inquired whether we had anything to
declare.
"'Better shoot now, hadn't I, just to clear the air a bit?' whispered
the captain under his breath; but I checked his enthusiasm with an
authoritative gesture and explained the situation to the Custom-house
official.
"The sight of the passport, with its green ribbon and green paint,
impressed him as we had expected. He bowed like a footman and said he
would summon a guard of honour to conduct us to the presence of the
President. While we awaited the arrival of the guard of honour I
conversed with him, in order to inform myself of the precise position of
affairs.
"'I understand,' I said gravely, 'that there has lately been a change in
the _personnel_ of your Executive. Be good enough to tell me exactly
what has happened.'
"He told me, supplementing the story which I had heard from Captain
Shagg. There had been a revolution--as I knew. A President named Gomez
had been succeeded by a President named Gonzalez. As the President
named Gomez had shown some reluctance to retire, the President named
Gonzalez had been obliged to have him stood against a wall and shot.
There had been other rioting, but order was now restored. The President
named Gonzalez would unquestionably be very happy to receive the
accredited representative of Her Britannic Majesty's Government, and
regard it as a specially fortunate occurrence that he happened to be at
Libertad at the moment of our arrival, so that he could see us there,
without troubling us to travel to San Salvador.
"'The pleasure will be mutual,' I replied politely; and I had hardly
made my answer before the guard of honour came.
"It consisted of ten ragged soldiers smoking cigarettes, and an officer,
with plenty of tattered gold braid, smoking a Mexican cheroot. I showed
the officer my embellished passport. He examined the outside of it, and,
being satisfied that it was in order, introduced himself.
"'I am Colonel Sombrero, of the President's bodyguard.' he said. 'If
your Excellency will do me the great honour of accepting a cigar----' I
took one. Captain Shagg said that he preferred a pipe, and lighted up.
The colonel seemed surprised at his choice, but shrugged his shoulders
in a friendly manner, making allowance for the peculiar tastes of
foreigners. He also said he was sorry we had not announced our
intention of visiting the President, as in that case there would have
been a carriage waiting for us. In reply, I said that we were willing
to dispense with ceremony, because our business was of a pressing
character. 'In that case,' said Colonel Sombrero, 'may I venture to
invite your Excellencies to be so infinitely condescending as to ride
with me to the Plaza in a tramcar.'
"'A tramcar drawn by mules,' I answered, 'is a somewhat unusual
conveyance for an ambassador; but, our business being urgent, we will
waive the point.'
"So we got into the car with the officer, while the men stationed
themselves on the platform beside the driver, and rattled through the
streets.
"It was only a ten minutes' ride. Looking out of the window as we
jolted along we saw many signs of the recent disturbances; wrecked
houses, pillaged shops, and here and there a dead body being removed for
burial. But the disturbances themselves were over; we had been correctly
informed that order was restored.
"A few minutes later we were ushered into the presence of the man who
had restored it. He was a civilian, some five feet high, dressed in a
frock-coat that did not fit him, and a pair of shabby trousers that had
seen better days; his collar and tie testified to a toilet made in our
honour. The expression of his face was not devoid of vigour, but
cunning was even more prominently marked upon it. I towered
conspicuously above him.
"'Attention!' called the colonel to his men, and they arranged
themselves in rows on the two sides of the hall, still smoking
cigarettes--to smoke on duty being, as I am told, the privilege of the
soldiers in all the Central American republics.
"President Gonzalez and I bowed to each other with distinguished
courtesy; Captain Shagg also bowed after the usual careless fashion of a
seafaring man. The colonel pulled at his cheroot; the soldiers puffed
their cigarettes; and I proceeded to my business without delay.
"'Here is the letter accrediting me to the Government of your
Excellency,' I said. 'If your Excellency does not read English----'
"To my relief he shook his head.
"'Your Excellency will at least recognise the British arms, and the sign
manual of the British Minister for Foreign Affairs.'
"His Excellency bowed again. He said he always had been and always
should be animated by the most friendly sentiments towards Her Britannic
Majesty's Government; and as he said this he handed me back my passport,
which I thrust into my pocket.
"'Your Excellency,' I proceeded, affably but firmly, 'has now an
opportunity for demonstrating the genuineness of those amicable
sentiments.'
"He made a gesture as though to signify that his entire possessions were
at Her Britannic Majesty's disposal.
"'The object of my mission,' I continued, 'is to draw the attention of
your Excellency to an outrage committed upon the person of Her Britannic
Majesty's Vice-Consul, and to require immediate satisfaction.'
"To my amazement the President was not at all embarrassed. He smiled on
me more graciously than ever.
"'The outrage to which you refer,' he said, 'was committed by the party
of the President whom I have succeeded. I am happy to inform you that
ex-President Gomez has already paid the penalty of his crime; and your
Vice-Consul--a gentleman for whom I personally have a great affection
and respect--is now reinstated in his honourable office.'
"It was not what I had expected; and Captain Shagg, to whom I
interpreted the speech, was absolutely dumfoundered by the turn affairs
were taking.
"'Why, durn,' he said, 'this dago's a white man, after all. We've come
on a fool's errand, and the sooner we quit, the better for our health.
Else he'll fetch the other dago along, and the game'll be blown upon,
and we'll have to start the shooting without the moral support of a
clear conscience.'
"I checked him, however, and introduced the necessary modification into
my plan.
"'Captain,' I said, 'it was arranged, I think, that it was I who was to
take control of the details of this piece of business.'
"And to the President I replied--
"'Your Excellency must understand that my instructions require me to
verify your Excellency's statement.'
"'Naturally,' he answered, with more gracious affability than ever.
"'It is necessary that I should see and speak with our Vice-Consul.'
"'Naturally. He shall be fetched.
"'It will be necessary for me to speak with him in private.'
"'By all means. A room will be placed at your disposition.'
"'And, after the interview, it will be desirable that I should speak
with your Excellency again.'
"'You will add to the favour for which I am already indebted to you by
doing so.'
"The man's politeness was absolutely irritating. To Captain Shagg it
seemed to foreshadow danger.
"'Now what's this fool-game, stranger?' he protested.
"'Wait,' I answered; 'the game is not finished yet.'
"For, as I have said already, this captain was a dull-witted though a
determined man.
"My calm words quieted him, however; he waited patiently, with his eye
on the President, and his hand in his revolver pocket, while I conversed
apart with the Vice-Consul, and took him, as far as was necessary, into
my confidence.
"It would be superfluous to report our rapid dialogue; it is enough to
give the Vice-Consul's answer to my arguments.
"'Senor,' he said, 'President Gonzalez is my friend. But justice is
more to me than friendship--especially as I am a poor man with expensive
tastes.'
"Strange words, you think? Their meaning will be clear enough when I
relate what happened at my second interview with the President of the
Republic.
"'Your Excellency,' I said, returning with the Vice-Consul by my side,
'I have the honour to inform you that I have now completed my inquiries,
and can give you my decision in the matter.'
"His Excellency bowed and showed his white teeth smilingly. The
soldiers stood at attention, lighting fresh cigarettes from the stumps
of the old ones as they did so. And then I showed my hand, and, so to
say, threw my bombshell.
"'The personal behaviour of your Excellency in connection with the
unfortunate _contretemps_ which has brought me here has been beyond all
praise. I have the honour to thank your Excellency in the name of Her
Britannic Majesty.'
"There was another bow and a fresh display of gleaming teeth.
"'But,' I continued, 'I have the honour to address your Excellency at
the present moment, not as private individual, but as the representative
of the State. It must be obvious to your Excellency that, in a
civilised country like the Republic of Salvador, the responsibility for
an outrage that has been perpetrated does not disappear in consequence
of a change of Government. Changes of Government are too frequent in
the Republic of Salvador for that political doctrine to be accepted,
even by the representative of a friendly Power. On the contrary, the
liability remains, and the indemnity must still be paid. In
consideration, however, of the correct behaviour of your Excellency in
the matter, I am prepared to fix that indemnity at the very moderate sum
of 50,000 dollars.'
"A word or two whispered in his ear by the Vice-Consul had caused
Captain Shagg to listen carefully to my speech. He did not understand
much of it, but he caught the essential words, '50,000 dollars,' and his
dull intelligence at last grasped the true nature of the business which
he was assisting me to carry through. He went so far as to withdraw his
hand from his revolver pocket and slap his thigh, exclaiming--
"'Bully for you, stranger! You're a dandy! Durned if I ever
guessed----'
"'Hush!' I said, fearing lest his strange manners should arouse
suspicion; and he stopped and put his hand back into his revolver pocket
in readiness for emergencies, while I turned to the President, saying,
'Your Excellency's reply?'
"He shrugged his shoulders, laughed, pretended to think that I was
joking with him. I went on sternly--
"'Your Excellency must understand that, though I speak in the polished
phrases of diplomatic intercourse, my demand is, in fact, of the nature
of an ultimatum, failure to comply with which will entail a rupture of
amicable relations.'
"Not knowing what else to say, the President said that the rupture of
friendly relations would be painful to him.
"'It will be the more painful,' I said, pointing through the open window
to where our steamer flew the Union Jack. 'It will be the more painful
in that its first consequence will be the bombardment of this port, and
the destruction of all the public buildings.'
"For the first time in the course of the interview the President began
to show his temper.
"'It might also result,' he said, 'in your being taken straight out into
the courtyard, blindfolded, and shot.'
"Captain Shagg caught the essential word 'shot,' and once more
interposed.
"'Shall I draw?' he said. 'It's wonderful how reasonable a man'll get
sometimes when you have got the draw on him.'
"'Keep quiet!' I urged. 'There won't be any shooting.'
"And I once more eyed the President carefully and took his measure.
"He hardly looked a coward. Beneath the manners of an attorney he
probably concealed the natural ferocity of the average Spanish American.
Unless the captain got the draw on him, and deterred him, it was
conceivable (though not very likely) that he might carry out his threat.
There was also the chance that he might be just obstinate enough to
refuse to give way until the shells actually began to burst about his
ears--which would have been awkward, as we had neither shells nor guns
on board the little San Francisco trading steamer.
"Once more, therefore, it was necessary for me to modify my plan; and I
modified it on the spur of the moment on lines suggested by my recent
Nicaraguan experiences.
"'Your Excellency,' I began, 'our lives are no doubt in your hands. But
the whole might of the British Empire is behind us, and if you lay a
finger on us, you are putting your own head into the hangman's noose.'
"He was obviously frightened. But it still was not quite certain that
he would give way. He might merely escort us politely to our boat, and
then withdraw out of the range of shell-fire, leaving the buildings to
take care of themselves. So I played the last trump card.
"'On the other hand, if we were alone, your Excellency,' I added, with
the sort of smile that the Central American understands, 'if we were
alone, I might be able to suggest----'
"He motioned to the soldiers to go and smoke their cigarettes outside,
and then I spoke to him quite frankly, without troubling to wrap up my
meaning in nice diplomatic phrases.
"'You're not President of this Republic for the benefit of your health,
I take it,' I said. 'No. You've taken the Presidency for what you can
make out of it. The salary is not large, but there are perquisites.'
"He smiled, beginning to catch my meaning, which I soon made absolutely
clear.
"'Very well,' I continued. 'Your Excellency imagined, perhaps, that it
was the intention of Her Britannic Majesty's Government to fine your
country without recognising the service which you yourself have
rendered. I hasten to inform your Excellency that this is not the case.'
"His Excellency's smile was now broadening to a grin.
"'My proposal is, therefore,' I proceeded, 'to increase the damages to
the sum of 60,000 dollars--this sum to include a sum of 10,000 dollars
by way of honorarium for your Excellency.'
"The President of the Republic of Salvador stroked his chin
reflectively.
"'If you had said 75,000 dollars----' he began at length. I paused,
weighed the point, and answered gravely.
"'Including 25,000 for your Excellency? It is a great deal. But I
suppose I must strain the point--on condition, of course, that the money
is brought to me immediately, and in cash.'
"'I was hoping,' said the President, 'that my own cheque for the
amount----'
"'I said cash, your Excellency,' I repeated.
"'Or our notes? they are so much less cumbersome than our dollars.'
"'Cash, your Excellency. And it must be fetched from the bank and
wheeled down to the quay for us at once.'
"'You drive a hard bargain, but I must perforce accept it,' said his
Excellency.
"'And my gun'll cover the dagos in charge of it, by way of keeping them
out of temptation,' said Captain Shagg. And then he clapped me on the
back, crying----
"'Fifty thousand dollars to cut up between three of us! You're a dandy,
stranger, you're a dandy!'
"But alas! his tone was different when, a few hours later, having
steamed far away from the Port of Libertad, we had hauled down the Union
Jack and assembled in his cabin to apportion the indemnity. For then he
stamped upon the floor, and banged upon the table, and knocked the
glasses over, and used words which I must not repeat.
"'Compose yourself, captain. What is it?' I inquired.
"'What is it? Why, in the whole of this pile of dollars there ain't one
honest piece. I mean to say that they ain't the real thing, any more
than your papers and my ship were. They're just struck to unload on
gambling-hells. It's one of the industries of that cursed country.'
"It was my turn to be angry.
"'You knew that,' I cried, 'and you never warned me! You dolt! You
thickhead! You unconscionable scoundrel!'
"My passion got the better of me. I flew at him, and we wrestled
together on the floor, while the Vice-Consul whom we had rescued pointed
out a better way.
[Illustration: "We wrestled together on the floor."]
"'Listen to me! Listen to me!' he cried. 'I know the gambling-houses
where they buy those moneys. I'll take you there to sell them! I'll
get you a good price.'
"And so he ultimately did. He got us, in fact, a good deal more than we
should have expected. But Captain Ulysses P. Shagg and Jean Antoine
Stromboli Kosnapulski were never very good friends afterwards."