Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

70 “ My ankle 1s broken, I think, or at least wrenched badly. Let me rest a while.” ‘“ Dis no place to res’, senor doctor,” said Pedro. “ But what kin we do? [ tell you, Senor Keybu’n. You stay wid de doctorman an’ I try fur scale de cliff an’ see what kin’ of place dis is. I seen it many time before, but nebber went on de top. If we stay here we mus’ git to de top.” “ But we shall never get down again, Pedro.” “Why? If we kin git up we kin git down. Wait till 1 come.” Oh, Ill wait, Pedro. It would be difficult to do anything else.” With a grin the negro went again to the wreck and I saw him carefully examining the side of the mountain. His black head would shake dolefully as he saw the impossibility of ascend- ing. With a look of disappointment on his face he returned. “No use, Senor Keybu’n, less we kin fly. Dat ole islan’ was made fur de birds, an’ not fur mans. We can no git fur up dere. Now what I wan’ fur know is whar we is goin’ fur to live?” “ It looks to me, Pedro, as if we were not going to live anywhere. My opin- ion 1s that we are going to die right here.” “ But dat no nice. What fur mus’ we die when dat scundel captin git away! But maybe we don’ die yit. We mus’ tink a little.” “This confounded ankle of mine puts me out of it,” said Desklit, “ but if I could do my share I would suggest making a raft out of what stuff there is to be had on the wreck, and taking our chances on the river. We can rig up a sail and make some kind of a rt.”’ “ Dat jes’ de berry t’ing! Now see how dat mans kin t’ink! Why, de planks an’ deckhouse an’ casks kin make a fin’ ole raft fur carry us to shoah. Good luck come of dat idea. If de ole Wing jes’ lay still long ‘nough fur to make er raft.” THE ARGOSY. “ Well, let’s get at it. We had better leave the doctor here until we are ready to launch the craft. If the ship begins to slide off that ledge we might not be able to get him back.” “Das so. Now de doctormans git well fur he know he goin’ to lan’. He kin doctor hisse’f while we make de raft.” ‘“ Pedro, you are a philosopher,” said Desklit. “Qh, I only a Brazil negro,” re- joined Pedro with a grin. I left Desklit sitting on the rock bathing his ankle with a mixture he prepared from some of his drugs and sea water, and went on board with the negro. I was fairly astonished at the re- sourceful mind of Pedro Gapo. When it came to choosing pieces for a raft and placing each piece where it would do the most good, Pedro exhibited a skill far ahead of anything 1 could offer. He began dragging the loosened, planking to the starboard side and car- rying empty casks up from below. Ropes and wooden pins as well as nails were used, and Pedro fell natur- ally into the position of boss of the job. He worked like a man with the en- ergy and strength of three. It was amazing how rapidly the raft began to take shape. A cheering note came from the rock when Desklit shouted that his ankle was merely sprained. “I'l be all right in a day or so,” he said. Hour after hour Pedro and I worked at the raft. We never stopped to think ot food. It was evening when the raft was de- clared finished. A mast had been set up, and a small spread of canvas erect- ed to carry us with the wind, and a rude tiller and rudder provided. “Now the question is,” I said, “whether to embark at once, or wait till morning.” “ Better start right away,” suggested ECORRIC OO© Ss eco