CHAPTER VII
TRASK HAS A TALK WITH DOC BIRD
Calling Doc Bird from the galley, Trask set about putting his things in order in his room, and sent the steward inside to open the biggest bag, which was secured with straps.
"I reckon we better take this out, sir," suggested Doc, as he made an effort to get the straps loose. He found it hard to work in the narrow little room.
"No," said Trask, "open it in here." He stood in the doorway, and let the door rest against his back, holding it partly closed with one hand. It was his purpose to keep Doc shut in, and so be able to question him without being overheard.
"Mighty hard to open," said Doc, down on his knees, struggling with the straps. It was hot in the room, and rather dark, as the deadlight to the p.o.o.p-deck was fogged by sea water.
"You"re new to the schooner, aren"t you?" asked Trask.
"Ya.s.sir. I jus" shipped fo" the roun" trip."
"How long have you known Mr. Peth?" Trask kept his voice low, and bent down to Doc.
"Ya.s.sir. I know Mr. Peth. I know him fo" a long time."
"Have you sailed with him before?"
"Ya.s.sir. I been along with Cap"n Jarrow an" Mr. Peth off an" on six years. Got a key fo" this hyar satchel?"
"It isn"t locked. Just press the lock to the left."
"You mighty ca"less with yo" possessions," said Doc with a chuckle.
"What sort of a man is Mr. Peth?"
"Catch me with my stuff sailin" around loose. Some o" these hyar native trash go"n walk off wid you, bag an" baggage, if you don"
watch out, man."
"Why do you suppose Mr. Peth wanted to move out of here?"
"Oh, he"s just kind o" techy."
"How do you mean?"
"Kind o" uppish. He don" git along wid n.o.body, nohow, Mr. Peth don"t."
"He"s been with Captain Jarrow a long time, hasn"t he?"
Doc turned his head sidewise and looked at Trask, and then looked out into the main cabin, as if to make sure no one was listening before he went on.
"A lion an" a lamb," he said, in a scared whisper.
"And Peth"s the lion?"
"Ya.s.sir, you got it. Peth, he"d fight with his own gran"mother, that man. Argue en argue en argue. He ain"t fixin" to hurt n.o.body when he talks, but when he stops talkin"--excuse me!"
"What does he do when he stops talking?"
"If ol" Doc Bird"s on the lan"scape, he hunts a hole an" he crawls in when Mr. Peth he begins to act up."
"You mean you"re afraid of him?"
"Not exac"ly what you"d go an" call "fraid, but I don" take no chances." He chuckled again, and wagged his head. He could not manipulate the lock to get the bag open, and Trask reached down and showed him how it was done.
"Then you consider Mr. Peth a dangerous man?"
"He sho" is."
"How is he dangerous?"
"Well, Mr. Trask, I don" lak" to go an" say nothin" agin a man, "specially when he"s matin" round a boat what I"m in."
"Oh, I suppose he"s rough with a sailor if it suits his fancy,"
said Trask, convinced now that Doc was merely making talk, and telling a yarn simply to impress him.
"He wouldn"t look twice to hang somethin" on a man"s haid, Mr. Peth wouldn"t. I done saw him stab a man once, not no sailorman, neither, stab him right in the back o" the neck with one o" these hyar Sweden knives with a ring on the handle. He was a planter down Zamboanga way, an" a genelman like you, in white clothes. He come sa.s.sin" round Mr. Peth on the pier. He won"t sa.s.s "round no mo", mos" certain."
"Fol-de-rol," said Trask. "You"re trying to make him out a bad man.
I want to know something about him."
"Ain"t I tellin" of ye?" asked Doc. "Who all can tell ye, if I don"? Reckon that Zamboanga planter"s gwine come back to life jes"
fo" talkin" purposes, Mr. Trask?"
"But he and Captain Jarrow must get along if they"ve been together for several years."
"Git along, man! Them two don" git along, not the way we-all say it. Mr. Peth an" de cap"n? Huh! Them two git along smooth as a houn" dawg in a brier patch."
"They quarrel a lot, eh?"
"Fight ain" no name fer it. Mr. Peth he owns part of this hyar schooner, an" Cap"n Jarrow he wants fer to git him out. I look for him to drap Mr. Peth over the side some fine night--if Mr. Peth don" drap him fust."
"Then that"s why Mr. Peth didn"t want to sleep aft here?"
"Mos" doubtless. He pick up his traps an" go. Mr. Peth he done ship de crew. Yo" don" reckon he picked out Cap"n Jarrow"s Sunday friends, does ye? No, suh. Mr. Peth, he knows what he"s a-doin" of.
He looks to be with his own friends when he goes for"ard."
"Well, that"s a nice arrangement, to have the mate in with the crew and opposed to the captain."
"Won"t do no harm thataway," said Doc with much a.s.surance.