The next morning at breakfast, old Tonoi ran in, and told us that the
voyagers were returning. We hurried down to the beach, and saw the
boat gliding toward us, with a dozing islander at the helm, and Zeke
standing up in the bows, jingling a small bag of silver, the proceeds
of his cargo.
CHAPTER LX.
WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF US IN MARTAIR
SEVERAL quiet days now passed away, during which we just worked
sufficiently to sharpen our appetites; the planters leniently
exempting us from any severe toil.
Their desire to retain us became more and more evident; which was not
to be wondered at; for, beside esteeming us from the beginning a
couple of civil, good-natured fellows, who would soon become quite
at-home with them, they were not slow in perceiving that we were far
different from the common run of rovers; and that our society was
both entertaining and instructive to a couple of solitary, illiterate
men like themselves.
In a literary point of view, indeed, they soon regarded us with
emotions of envy and wonder; and the doctor was considered nothing
short of a prodigy. The Cockney found out that he (the doctor) could
read a book upside down, without even so much as spelling the big
words beforehand; and the Yankee, in the twinkling of an eye,
received from him the sum total of several arithmetical items, stated
aloud, with the view of testing the extent of his mathematical lore.
Then, frequently, in discoursing upon men and things, my long comrade
employed such imposing phrases that, upon one occasion, they actually
remained uncovered while he talked.
In short, their favourable opinion of Long Ghost in particular rose
higher and higher every day; and they began to indulge in all manner
of dreams concerning the advantages to be derived from employing so
learned a labourer. Among other projects revealed was that of
building a small craft of some forty tons for the purpose of trading
among the neighbouring islands. With a native crew, we would then
take turns cruising over the tranquil Pacific; touching here and
there, as caprice suggested, and collecting romantic articles of
commerce; - beach-de-mer, the pearl-oyster, arrow-root, ambergris,
sandal-wood, cocoa-nut oil, and edible birdnests.
This South Sea yachting was delightful to think of; and straightway,
the doctor announced his willingness to navigate the future schooner
clear of all shoals and reefs whatsoever. His impudence was
audacious. He enlarged upon the science of navigation; treated us to
a dissertation on Mercator's Sailing and the Azimuth compass; and
went into an inexplicable explanation of the Lord only knows what
plan of his for infallibly settling the longitude.
