'But I thought,' began Herrick; and then broke out; 'oh, let's get on to

Peru!'

'Well, if you're going to Peru for your health, I won't say no!'

replied the captain. 'But for what other blame' shadow of a reason you

should want to go there, gets me clear. We don't want to go there with

this cargo; I don't know as old bottles is a lively article anywheres;

leastways, I'll go my bottom cent, it ain't Peru. It was always a doubt

if we could sell the schooner; I never rightly hoped to, and now I'm

sure she ain't worth a hill of beans; what's wrong with her, I don't

know; I only know it's something, or she wouldn't be here with this

truck in her inside. Then again, if we lose her, and land in Peru, where

are we? We can't declare the loss, or how did we get to Peru? In that

case the merchant can't touch the insurance; most likely he'll go bust;

and don't you think you see the three of us on the beach of Callao?'

There's no extradition there,' said Herrick.

Well, my son, and we want to be extraded,' said the captain.

What's our point? We want to have a consul extrade us as far as San

Francisco and that merchant's office door. My idea is that Samoa would

be found an eligible business centre. It's dead before the wind; the

States have a consul there, and 'Frisco steamers call, so's we could

skip right back and interview the merchant.'

'Samoa?' said Herrick. 'It will take us for ever to get there.'

The Ebb-Tide