Electronic Resource
E-book In the Sargasso sea
Captain Luke Chilton counted over the five-dollar notes with a greater
care than I thought was necessary, considering that there were only
ten of them; and cautiously examined each separate one, as though he
feared that I might be trying to pay for my passage in bad money. His
show of distrust set my back up, and I came near to damning him right
out for his impudence--until I reflected that a West Coast trader must
pretty well divide his time between cheating people and seeing to it
that he isn't cheated, and so held my tongue.
Having satisfied himself that the tale was correct and that the notes
were genuine, he brought out from the inside pocket of his long-tailed
shore-going coat a big canvas pocket-book, into which he stowed them
lengthwise; and from the glimpse I had of it I fancied that until my
money got there it was about bare. As he put away the pocket-book, he
said, and pleasantly enough:
"You see, Mr. Stetworth, it's this way: fifty dollars is dirt cheap
for a cast across from New York to the Coast, and that's a fact; but
you say that it's an object with you to get your passage low, and I
say that even at that price I can make money out of you. The _Golden
Hind_ has got to call at Loango, anyhow; there's a spare room in her
cabin that'll be empty if you don't fill it; and while you're a big
man and look to be rather extra hearty, I reckon you won't eat more'n about twenty dollars' worth of victuals--counting 'em at cost--on the
whole run.
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