I remember how
Pedronez clutched his throat and shrieked after us into the night. He
had shiny black eyes and skin wrinkled about the mouth, and Lucina
was draggled-looking. When we were out of the inlet we could hear him
yelling, and I had an idea he and Lucina took to fighting to ease up
their minds.
We came under the dark of the ship's side. One of the negroes leaned
over above us, and Monson told him to turn in, so short that he
scuttled away with a grunt. We heaved the stuff aboard, and took it
below, and stowed the whole four meal bags under my bunk. We got up
sail before daybreak and slipped away while the stars were still
shining.
Now, I took Monson to be a simple man, though sudden in action, and
a man with an open mind, and sure to blow up with anything it was
charged with, and in that way safe, as not having the gifts to
deceive. I don't say the estimate was all gone wrong, but I'd say a
man may act so simple as to take in a cleverer man than me. He came
to me the next day and took me down below, acting mysterious, and he
put on an expression that was like a full moon trying to look like a
horse trader, which wasn't a success. Then he jerked his beard, and
looked embarrassed.
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