The Ocean Cat's Paw: The Story of a Strange Cruise

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER FORTY NINE.

  THE COUNT'S APPEAL.

  The south-west coast of Africa was fading away in the distance as thetwo consorts with their natural history seekers rode over the dazzlingsilver sea. The lads were abaft the schooner's wheel, quite inseparablenow, looking down through the eddying water at the fish, which seemed tohave taken the swift vessel for some mighty companion of their ownnature, in whose wake they could swim along in peace without fear oflesser enemies.

  About an hour before, the brig's gig had brought the Count and his sonalongside the schooner, and the former was below in the doctor'smuseum-like laboratory, listening to his learned friend's remarks uponsome fresh object that, now they had returned to the ways of peace, hadbeen fished up from just below the surface of the sea.

  Four of the schooner's crew were under an awning, lying upon a couple ofdoubled-up spare sails which had been spread upon the deck, and the twolads had been seated with them chatting for some little time before theystrolled aft.

  "How well your men look," Morny said suddenly--"all except Joe Cross."

  "Yes, he looks rather thin and pale, doesn't he?" said Rodd quickly;"but he isn't ill. You saw how full of fun he was, and ready to jokeabout having been bled too much. Uncle says he'll soon be well again,for he's in such good spirits. But uncle told me quietly that it was awonder to him none of the poor fellows were killed. But oh, I say,isn't this nice!"

  "Lazy," said Morny.

  "Oh, I don't call it lazy. It's so jolly to be able to hang about inthe sunshine without feeling that there's some great trouble coming ondirectly."

  "Ah, yes," replied Morny, with a sigh, "and that perhaps you may notlive to see me next day."

  "Well," said Rodd, "I don't think it's lazy. Uncle says that after youhave been at work very hard it's like unstringing the bow; and so it is.I want to begin fishing or dredging or sounding again. I don't wantany more shooting. Now, do you know what I should like just now?"

  "No."

  "I'd soon show you then that I wasn't lazy. I should like to see one ofthose beautiful ripples two or three hundred yards off which showthat there's a shoal of fish feeding on the transparentwhat-you-may-call-'ems--I forget Uncle Paul's name for them."

  "Well, if that would give you any satisfaction," said Morny, laughing,"I wish that a shoal would rise."

  "Don't you be in such a hurry; I hadn't finished. I was going to say Ishould then like to see one of those great sea-serpent-like creaturesrise slowly from below, to begin feeding on the fish--one of those greatscientific wonders that you and your father are trying to discover andcapture; for that's it, I suppose, though you do keep so squat aboutit."

  "Ah-h-h!" said Morny, with a sigh; and he glanced sidewise at his youngEnglish companion.

  "It is quite a joke, that it is," continued Rodd. "It's just as if youwere jealous and afraid that uncle and I would get beforehand with you,and win the credit of the discovery for old England, instead of youcarrying it off for your _la belle France_."

  "Ah!" sighed Morny again, with a sad smile upon his lips.

  "You French chaps are so sentimental. _La belle France_ indeed! Justas if old England or the British Isles weren't quite as beautiful! Onlywe don't go shouting about it everywhere. I say, Morny, you don't halfbelieve in me."

  "It is false!" cried the young Frenchman angrily. "Why, I believe inyou more than in any one living--except my father."

  "Oh, indeed!" cried Rodd banteringly. "And here since I have known youI have told you everything till I haven't a secret that I have kept fromyou."

  "Why, you have had no secrets," said Morny.

  "Well--no; I suppose you couldn't call them secrets. But you've gotone, and you have never let it out to me."

  "No," said Morny gravely, "because it was not mine to tell. You don'twant me to be dishonourable, Rodd?"

  "Why, of course I don't, old chap. I don't want you to tell me till youlike, only it is rather a joke sometimes that you make such a mystery ofwhat uncle and I know as well as can be."

  "You know!" cried Morny sharply.

  "Why, of course I do. It's what I say. You want--I mean, your fatherdoes--to carry off the honour of having solved the mystery of the greatfish or reptile that has been talked about for the last hundred years.I say, though, there's that other great old-world thing that they findin the rocks. What's his name?"

  Morny shook his head.

  "Here, I've got it--the sea-sawyer! That isn't quite right, but itsounds something like it. Why, he must have been just like a greatcrocodile."

  "Ugh! Don't talk about them," said Morny, with a shudder.

  "Eh, why not? There are none of them here. I wish we could have caughtone to dry or stuff, or keep in spirits. I mean quite a little one, youknow. Ah, those were rather horrid times, though, and I shan't want aspecimen reptile to make me remember them."

  "No," said Morny musingly; "we want nothing to make us recollect them."

  "But I suppose it is nearly all over now, for our voyages will soon cometo an end."

  "Oh no?" cried Morny eagerly. "Why should they, now that your uncle andmy father have become such friends?"

  The lads both started, for those of whom they were speaking just thenstrolled up behind them.

  "Well, boys," said the Count gravely, "what are you two talking about?"

  "Rodd was saying that he supposed our friendship would soon come to anend."

  "Indeed?" cried the Count, raising his eyebrows and turning to give ameaning glance at Uncle Paul. "Why should it, eh, my lad? I thoughtyou and Morny had become such fast friends."

  "Yes, so we have, sir," cried Rodd, flushing; "but I didn't quite meanthat, for I hope we shall often meet; but I thought that now we are outat sea again we should be separating. The brig will be going one way,and we shall be going another."

  "Do you wish this to be so?" said the Count, after another glance atUncle Paul.

  "I? Oh no, sir."

  "And you, Morny, my son?"

  "I, my father? They should not go away if I could stop it."

  "You hear, doctor? Is not this strange after what we have been sayingin the cabin. I tell you again, before long I will be quite open withyou about the object of my voyage. At present I ask you not to pressme."

  "I have told you," said the doctor, smiling, "that I will not. I havetold you also that my object for the short time that I shall stay downhere in the south is to keep close inshore, while you tell me that youwish to be able to sail right out to sea, and free to carry out yourproject, whatever it may be."

  "Yes, yes, and I have told you too that you could be of the greatestservice to me by following close at hand, and that I should always bemost grateful if without injury to your own cruise you would keep incompany with me for the present."

  "Ready to help in case of further emergencies?"

  "No," cried the Count warmly; "my ideas were not so selfish as that.But tell me this--is it urgent that we should part company now? I mean,would you suffer loss, or would your own researches be injured bykeeping in company with us for say another month?"

  "No-o," said the doctor carelessly; "I am just as likely to makediscoveries far out to sea as close inshore."

  "Then stay with us for the present. I ask it as a friend, while Iguarantee that you shall not suffer by what you do for me."

  "Well," said the doctor, slowly and thoughtfully, as he looked at thetwo lads, who were intently listening for his words, "what do you think,Rodd? Shall we sail in company with the brig for a little longer?"

  "Am I to be judge, uncle?" said the boy merrily. "Yes, if you like."

  "Well, then," said the lad, with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, ashe found that Morny with lips parted was gazing at him with a look ofappeal, "you see, uncle, we have been together a good while now, andthough we tried to help the brig we seem to have dragged it into a gooddeal of mischief."

  "What are you saying, Rodd?" cried Morny passionately.

&nbs
p; "Oh, I mean that we have helped you a bit, but you have been veryunlucky since we have been together. Still, if Morny doesn't mindrisking it, and doesn't mind putting up with my jokes about _la belleFrance_, and yours, uncle, about the Emperor Napoleon--"

  Morny started, and looked sharply at his father.

  "--though by this time," continued Rodd, "I suppose you, sir, have foundout that at heart uncle is very fond of the Emperor, and admires himvery much--"

  "You impudent young scoundrel, how dare you!" growled the doctor."Bah!" he muttered to himself, "Temper!" Then turning quickly to theCount, he said almost apologetically, "Don't take any notice. I havespoilt him, sir; I have spoilt him. Look here, my dear sir; I shallvery much regret the day when we have to part, for my own sake and formy nephew's, for since he has had the advantage of your son'scompanionship I have been in hopes that he would acquire something ofhis refinement and polish, and that it might lead in time to hisachieving to somewhat of the carriage of a gentleman. I regret to saythat so far he is as rough and boorish as ever. Still, in the hope thatevery one of his opportunities may not be thrown away, I shall be gladto prolong the intimacy a little longer. There, sir," he snapped out,as he turned sharply upon Rodd, "what do you say to that?"

  "It's all right, Morny," said the boy quietly. "Go on polishing. I'llbe more attentive now, uncle."

  Morny gave him a quick nod, and turned then to grasp Uncle Paul's hand,while the brig and the schooner went sailing on westward ho!