began Brace.

"Don't be huffy, squire. It's quite natural that you should."

"And pray why, sir? I saw the vessel lying moored yonder yesterday."

"Of course, but when one's going for a voyage in a ship one likes to
look at her a bit."

"Then I'm going on a voyage in that ship, am I?" said Brace.

"Of course--you and your brother. Up the Amazons, eh?"

This was said in a questioning tone, but Brace made no reply.

"Well, of course you've a right to choose, but I say you ought to go up
the Orinoco. Deal more to see there, I believe. Dessay, though,
there's plenty up the Amazons. They'll do."

"That's a comfort," said Brace, smiling in spite of his annoyance, for
the man was as cool as he was imperturbable.

"Is it?" he said. "Glad of it. Glad too that you young Englishmen are
so enterprising. As a rule you're downright sleepy and leave nearly
everything in the finding out way to us Amurricans. Didn't know I was
an Amurrican, did you?"

"I never doubted it from the moment you spoke."

"Didn't you, now? Well, that is curious. It's my pushing way,
perhaps."

"Yes, that was it," said Brace, laughing.

"Well, there's nothing like it if you want to get ahead. So you're
going up the big rivers, are you?"

"Look here, sir," said Brace: "my brother will be down soon. Wait a
little while, and then you can ask him about his plans."

"No, thankye, sir," said the man. "He's short and sharp, and maybe he
wouldn't like it. You're easier to deal with. Don't be huffy. Two
fellows meeting out here in a place like this ought to help one
another."

"I see," said Brace good-humouredly. "Now then, you want me to help you
in something?"

"To be sure. That's it exactly."

"Well, sir, what is it?"

"Look here, never mind the _sir_. That's so English. Now you're
getting stand-offy again, as if you thought I was a sharper with a story
about being hard up."

"H'm!" coughed Brace.

"Hah! that's what you did think?"

"Well, perhaps so."

"No perhaps about it, squire. But you're wrong. I am hard up, but it
isn't for dollars."

"Then what help do you want?"

"Friendly help. I'm down in a hole, and I want you and your brother to
pull me out."

"Please explain."

"Don't be in a hurry. You've been too sharp for me as it is."

"How? I never saw you till yesterday, when you came hanging about our
table."

"Enough to make any man hang about. It made me wild, squire, to see the
ground cut fr