"
"I am willing to believe that you have no political affinities at all,
my dear Mr. Hurlstone," returned Perkins, with unruffled composure,
"and, consequently, we will not argue as to what is the constituted
authority of Todos Santos. Perhaps to-morrow it may be on board THIS
SHIP, and I may still have the pleasure of making you at home here!"
"Until then," said Hurlstone dryly, "at least you will allow me to
repair my error by returning to the shore."
"For the moment I hardly think it would be wise," replied Perkins
gently. "Allowing that you escaped the vigilance of my friends on the
shore, whose suspicions you have aroused, and who might do you some
injury, you would feel it your duty to inform those who sent you of the
presence of my ship, and thus precipitate a collision between my
friends and yours, which would be promotive of ill-feeling, and perhaps
bloodshed. You know my peaceful disposition, Mr. Hurlstone; you can
hardly expect me to countenance an act of folly that would be in
violation of it."
"In other words, having decoyed me here on board your ship, you intend
to detain me," said Hurlstone insultingly.
"'Decoy,'" said Perkins, in gentle deprecation, "'decoy' is hardly the
word I expected from a gentleman who has been so unfortunate as to take,
unsolicited and of his own free will, another person's place in a boat.
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