第45章

``And then you headed Granville Prior's expedition for buried treasure off the island of Cocos, didn't you?'' said Clay.``Go on, tell them about it.Be sociable.You ought to write a book about your different business ventures, Burke, indeed you ought;but then,'' Clay added, smiling, ``nobody would believe you.''

Burke rubbed his chin, thoughtfully, with his fingers, and looked modestly at the ceiling, and the two younger boys gazed at him with open-mouthed interest.

``There ain't anything in buried treasure,'' he said, after a pause, ``except the money that's sunk in the fitting out.It sounds good, but it's all foolishness.''

``All foolishness, eh?'' said Clay, encouragingly.``And what did you do after Balmaceda was beaten?--after I last saw you?''

``Crespo,'' Burke replied, after a pause, during which he pulled gently on his pipe.`` `Caroline Brewer'--cleared from Key West for Curacao, with cargo of sewing-machines and ploughs--beached below Maracaibo--thirty-five thousand rounds and two thousand rifles--at twenty bolivars apiece.''

``Of course,'' said Clay, in a tone of genuine appreciation.``Imight have known you'd be in that.He says,'' he explained, ``that he assisted General Crespo in Venezuela during his revolution against Guzman Blanco's party, and loaded a tramp steamer called the `Caroline Brewer' at Key West with arms, which he landed safely at a place for which he had no clearance papers, and he received forty thousand dollars in our money for the job--and very good pay, too, I should think,'' commented Clay.

``Well, I don't know,'' Burke demurred.``You take in the cost of leasing the boat and provisioning her, and the crew's wages, and the cost of the cargo; that cuts into profits.Then I had to stand off shore between Trinidad and Curacao for over three weeks before I got the signal to run in, and after that I was chased by a gun-boat for three days, and the crazy fool put a shot clean through my engine-room.Cost me about twelve hundred dollars in repairs.''

There was a pause, and Clay turned his eyes to the street, and then asked, abruptly, ``What are you doing now?''

``Trying to get orders for smokeless powder,'' Burke answered, promptly.He met Clay's look with eyes as undisturbed as his own.``But they won't touch it down here,'' he went on.``It doesn't appeal to 'em.It's too expensive, and they'd rather see the smoke.It makes them think--''

``How long did you expect to stay here?'' Clay interrupted.

``How long?'' repeated Burke, like a man in a witness-box who is trying to gain time.``Well, I was thinking of leaving by Friday, and taking a mule-train over to Bogota instead of waiting for the steamer to Colon.'' He blew a mouthful of smoke into the air and watched it drifting toward the door with apparent interest.

``The `Santiago' leaves here Saturday for New York.I guess you had better wait over for her,'' Clay said.``I'll engage your passage, and, in the meantime, Captain Stuart here will see that they treat you well in the cuartel.''

The men around the table started, and sat motionless looking at Clay, but Burke only took his pipe from his mouth and knocked the ashes out on the heel of his boot.``What am I going to the cuartel for?'' he asked.

``Well, the public good, I suppose,'' laughed Clay.``I'm sorry, but it's your own fault.You shouldn't have shown yourself here at all.''

``What have you got to do with it?'' asked Burke, calmly, as he began to refill his pipe.He had the air of a man who saw nothing before him but an afternoon of pleasant discourse and leisurely inactivity.

``You know what I've got to do with it,'' Clay replied.``I've got our concession to look after.''

``Well, you're not running the town, too, are you?'' asked Burke.

``No, but I'm going to run you out of it,'' Clay answered.

``Now, what are you going to do,--make it unpleasant for us and force our hand, or drive down quietly with our friend MacWilliams here? He is the best one to take you, because he's not so well known.''

Burke turned his head and looked over his shoulder at Stuart.

``You taking orders from Mr.Clay, to-day, Captain Stuart?'' he asked.

``Yes,'' Stuart answered, smiling.``I agree with Mr.Clay in whatever he thinks right.''

``Oh, well, in that case,'' said Burke, rising reluctantly, with a protesting sigh, ``I guess I'd better call on the American minister.''

``You can't.He's in Ecuador on his annual visit,'' said Clay.

``Indeed! That's bad for me,'' muttered Burke, as though in much concern.``Well, then, I'll ask you to let me see our consul here.''

``Certainly,'' Clay assented, with alacrity.``Mr.Langham, this young gentleman's father, got him his appointment, so I've no doubt he'll be only too glad to do anything for a friend of ours.''

Burke raised his eyes and looked inquiringly at Clay, as though to assure himself that this was true, and Clay smiled back at him.

``Oh, very well,'' Burke said.``Then, as I happen to be an Irishman by the name of Burke, and a British subject, I'll try Her Majesty's representative, and we'll see if he will allow me to be locked up without a reason or a warrant.''