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IN THE SARGASSO SEA
A Novel
BY
THOMAS A. JANVIER
AUTHOR OF"THE UNCLE OF AN ANGEL""THE AZTEC TREASURE-HOUSE""STORIES OF OLD NEW SPAIN" ETC.
* * * * *
1898
TO
C.A.J.
CONTENTS
I. I PAY FOR MY PASSAGE TO LOANGO II. HOW I BOARDED THE BRIG GOLDEN HIND III. I HAVE A SCARE, AND GET OVER IT IV. CAPTAIN LUKE MAKES ME AN OFFER V. I GIVE CAPTAIN LUKE MY ANSWER VI. I TIE UP MY BROKEN HEAD, AND TRY TO ATTRACT ATTENTION VII. I ENCOUNTER A GOOD DOCTOR AND A VIOLENT GALE VIII. THE HURST CASTLE IS DONE FOR IX. ON THE EDGE OF THE SARGASSO SEA X. I TAKE A CHEERFUL VIEW OF A BAD SITUATION XI. MY GOOD SPIRITS ARE WRUNG OUT OF ME XII. I HAVE A FEVER AND SEE VISIONS XIII. I HEAR A STRANGE CRY IN THE NIGHT XIV. OF MY MEETING WITH A MURDERED MAN XV. I HAVE SOME TALK WITH A MURDERER XVI. I RID MYSELF OF TWO DEAD MEN XVII. HOW I WALKED MYSELF INTO A MAZE XVIII. I FIND THE KEY TO A SEA MYSTERY XIX. OF A GOOD PLAN THAT WENT WRONG WITH ME XX. HOW I SPENT A NIGHT WEARILY XXI. MY THIRST IS QUENCHED, AND I FIND A COMPASS XXII. I GET SOME FOOD IN ME, AND FORM A CRAZY PLAN XXIII. HOW I STARTED ON A JOURNEY DUE NORTH XXIV. OF WHAT I FOUND ABOARD A SPANISH GALLEON XXV. I AM THE MASTER OF A GREAT TREASURE XXVI. OF A STRANGE SIGHT THAT I SAW IN THE NIGHT-TIME XXVII. I SET MYSELF TO A HEAVY TASK XXVIII. HOW I RUBBED SHOULDERS WITH DESPAIR XXIX. I GET INTO A SEA CHARNEL-HOUSE XXX. I COME TO THE WALL OF MY SEA-PRISON XXXI. HOW HOPE DIED OUT OF MY HEART XXXII. I FALL IN WITH A FELLOW-PRISONER XXXIII. I MAKE A GLAD DISCOVERY XXXIV. I END A GOOD JOB WELL, AND GET A SET-BACK XXXV. I AM READY FOR A FRESH HAZARD OF FORTUNE XXXVI. HOW MY CAT PROMISED ME GOOD LUCK XXXVII. HOW MY CAT STILL FURTHER CHEERED ME XXXVIII. HOW I FOUGHT MY WAY THROUGH THE SARGASSO WEED XXXIX. WHY MY CAT CALLED OUT TO ME
IN THE SARGASSO SEA
I
I PAY FOR MY PASSAGE TO LOANGO
Captain Luke Chilton counted over the five-dollar notes with a greatercare than I thought was necessary, considering that there were onlyten of them; and cautiously examined each separate one, as though hefeared that I might be trying to pay for my passage in bad money. Hisshow of distrust set my back up, and I came near to damning him rightout for his impudence—until I reflected that a West Coast trader mustpretty well divide his time between cheating people and seeing to itthat he isn't cheated, and so held my tongue.
Having satisfied himself that the tale was correct and that the noteswere genuine, he brought out from the inside pocket of his long-tailedshore-going coat a big canvas pocket-book, into which he stowed themlengthwise; and from the glimpse I had of it I fancied that until mymoney got there it was about bare. As he put away the pocket-book, hesaid, and pleasantly enough:
"You see, Mr. Stetworth, it's this way: fifty dollars is dirt cheapfor a cast across from New York to the Coast, and that's a fact; butyou say that it's an object with you to get your passage low, and Isay that even at that price I ca