He knew it was wrong to draw a knife on the chief officer, as
his tale was an unlikely one, and he ought to have trusted to a more
orderly recital of the facts to obtain credence.
"But I was that mad, senorita, I just saw red, and the drink was yet
surging up in me. I felt I must fight somebody, whatever the
consequences."
"Can you tell me why any one had such a grievance against you that you
should be thrown into the hold and nearly killed? That was a strange
thing to do, especially as you came aboard too late for your work."
"Ah, that is the point, senorita. You see, we trimmers work in gangs,
and the man who flung me through the hatch was the man who had taken my
place. I see no reason to doubt that it was he who made me drunk the
previous evening, and I know who did that."
"What was his name?"
"Jose Anacleto--'Jose the Wine-bag' we call him on the Plaza. I ought
to have smelt mischief when Jose paid. Never before had I seen him do
such a thing. And a good liquor, too. Dios, it must have cost him
dollars."
"What object had he in coming on board instead of you?"
"Ah, there you beat me, senorita.
Pages:
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221