"I have a brother, senor, who, like myself, speaks the three
languages. He is at present out of employment, and would, I am
sure, be very glad to engage himself to you as your interpreter."
"That would be the very thing," Frank said. "Does he live in the
town?"
"Yes, senor. I could fetch him here in a few minutes if Senor
Cordovo will permit me to do so."
The merchant at once granted the clerk's request.
"Will you tell Senor Cordovo," Frank said, "that I do not wish to
occupy his valuable time, and that I will return here in a quarter
of an hour?"
The merchant, however, through the clerk, assured Frank that he
would not hear of his leaving, and producing a box of cigars,
begged him to seat himself until the arrival of the interpreter. He
then said something else to the clerk, and the latter asked Frank
if he wanted any supplies for the yacht, as his employer acted as
agent for shipping.
"Certainly," Frank said, glad to have the opportunity of repaying
the civility shown him. "I require fresh meat, fruit and
vegetables, sufficient for twenty-five persons. I shall also be
glad if he will arrange for boats to take off water. My barrels and
tanks are nearly empty, and I shall want a supply of about a
thousand gallons."
While the clerk was absent, Frank, with the assistance of the
signal book, kept up a somewhat disjointed conversation with the
Spaniard. The clerk was, however, away but a few minutes; and
returned with his brother, an intelligent-looking young fellow of
seventeen or eighteen. He did not speak English quite as well as
the clerk, but sufficiently well for all purposes. Frank asked him
his terms, which seemed to him ridiculously low, and a bargain was
forthwith arranged.
"Will you ask Senor Cordovo if any other English yacht has been
here during the past three weeks or a month? I have a friend on
board one, and I fancy that she is cruising out here also."
The merchant replied that no English yacht had touched at the port
for some months, and that such visits were extremely rare. He
assured him that the stores ordered would be alongside in the
course of the afternoon, and expressed his regret when Frank
declined his invitation to stay with him for a day or two at his
country house.
After renewed thanks, Frank took his departure with his new
interpreter, whose name was Pedro. George Lechmere was waiting at
the corner of the street.
"I have arranged everything satisfactorily, George. This young man
is coming with me as interpreter, and as he speaks both French and
Spanish we shall get on well in future.
"When will you be ready to come on board, Pedro?"
"In half an hour, senor."
"You will find my boat at the quay. Take your things down to it. It
is a white boat with a British flag at the stern. But I don't want
you to go off yet. I have two things I want you to do before you
go.
"In the first place, I want a pilot. I want one who knows the
Virgin Islands well, and also the coast of San Domingo."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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