The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 200: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

196 ‘When is a crew not a crew? ” asked Ross, winking at the Kaybee. Foster looked at him reproachfully. “ When it’s aboard,” said Ross. “ Now, professor,” I observed, “ you see what Foster and I have had to con- tend with during our irip. Do you think you could survive? ” The professor was laughing heartily. “Survive! It would make me young again!” he cried. “ Oh, 1 am praying that you will accept! ” “T say,” said Ross, “ we started out on this trip to see the world. We want to see all there is to see. Time amounts to little. If any of the crew don’t want to go, pay them to New York and get more. I vote to go hunt dodos—no, I mean kaybees.” “What de you say, Bayne?” asked Foster. “Why, I sce no objection,” I an- swered. “ Of course we must expect some difficulties.” “Man,” said Ross, “ I’ve eaten dith- culties all my life and thrived on them. Difficulties? We'll start with one right now. Have you given this kaybec a personal cognomen, professor? ” “No, nothing but the generic name of kaybee.”’ “Then,” said Ross, seizing a bottle of seltzer and squirting some on the bird, “ T christen thee Dithicultv!” “And now,” I said, “since that is settled, permit me to invite the pro- fessor and Mr. Difficulty to partake of dinner with us. Ross, go out and gather up a peck of stones.” “Ring for the porter,’ said Ross. “ He’ll bring up a scuttle of coal.” We had quite a bit of sport out of the thing, but at last it was agreed that the Siren, with the newly added passen- gers, should start the following day on her strange cruise, the outcome of which could not be fathomed. CHAPTER IT. THE KAYBEE ON BOARD. THE professor had made arrange- ments to keep his prize at a stable near the hotel, and, excusing himself for a time, while he returned Difficulty to his cage, he led the bird out of the room. THE ARGOSY. ce The personification of grace,” said Foster, as the thing waddled out after its master. “Reminds ine of a short, fat woman with a load of wood on her head,” added Ross. We ordered dinner in a private din- ing-room, and bv the time it was ready the professor had returned. “One thing, gentlemen, I did not inention,” he said, “ and that is the fact that the bird needs plenty of room. I have had constructed a cage about ten feet long, four deep, and five feet in height. It may possibly present a prob- lem to you in the matter of disposing of this on the yacht.” “Not at all,” rejoined Ross. “ What's the matter with towing it astern? ” ‘Get the little fellow’s feet wet,” said loster. During dinner the professor talked learnedly about ornithology and other sciences about which none of the threc of us knew a thing. For my part, I was far enough advanced to tell a sparrow from an eagle at a glance, or discover 1 a certain red-breasted bird what 1s com- monly called a robin. But we listened with such interest as we could muster, and when at last there was an opening, the irrepressible Ross broke loose again. “Tt is entirely wrong, and out of the question,” he said, “for an expedition of this exalted type to set forth without a name and organization. “ Now, the professor wishes a fellow- ship in a society with a name that rivals the equator in length. I propose that we at once proceed to organize our- selves. I suggest the title, ‘ Society for the Promotion of Ornithological Knowledge Among the Cannibals of the Indian Ocean.’ ” “It seems to me,” interposed Foster gravely, “that among cannibals the promulgation of herbivorous knowl- edge would be far more to the advan- tage of the human race.” “Foster was always a kicker,” said Ross to the professor. “ He doesn’t really believe there are cannibals. Now. it would not surprise me to wake up some day and find myself picked bones.” “We are eating dinner!’ objected Foster. ? awa (GO) ElLOOO (GO) awa