style="font-size:15px;"> – The Gatling, I beg! Gatling! Gatling! – Simpkins groaned.
The Gatling strenuously smoked a tube.
– Ga-at … – and suddenly this shout turned into some choking sobbing.
The Gatling gritted the teeth, rejected a tube and, having untwisted the end of a rope, threw it drowning.
Grabbed with the last efforts of Simpkins a rope, but as soon as Gatling began to drag it, Simpkins broke: seaweed it is tenacious held it, in hands there was no force any more.
– Tie round a rope! – Gatling shouted to it.
Симпкинс somehow tied round, twirled knot and began to rise by the deck.
Facing Gatling, Simpkins was so excited that he only continuously repeated: “Gatling!. Gatling!. Gatling!.” – also gave it a hand.
The Gatling frowned, but, having looked at sincere animal joy in the opinion of saved, good-natured smiled and strong reaped a wet hand.
– I cannot express to you, Gatling…
– Stand – Gatling suddenly pricked up the ears, quickly pulling out the hand – watch, by our steamship smoke from a pipe. Ms. Kingman calls us. There something happened. We run!
Chapter 7
INHABITANTS OF THE ISLAND
Having remained one, Ms. Kingman was accepted to preparation of a breakfast. She cleaned and fried fish hooked by Gatling, went down in a hold and took several oranges in provisions warehouses. When she, with a basket in hands, rose by the deck, saw an unusual picture: behind their dining table – is more true, on a table and chairs – monkeys managed. They squealed, quarreled, rushed cake and thrust to themselves for cheeks pieces of sugar. At appearance of Ms. Kingman they pricked up the ears and with shout receded to a board. Viviana laughed and threw them couple of oranges. It established friendly relations at once. Not without a fight having finished couple of oranges, a chimpanzee, squatting and grimacing, approached Ms. Kingman and began to take safely fruits from it from hands. There was no doubt that they got used to society of people.
And it is valid, people did not keep themselves waiting long.
Absorbed by amusing tricks of unexpected guests, Ms. Kingman did not see how because of a steamship board two heads carefully looked out. Having convinced that on the deck there is nobody, except the woman, unknown quickly got through a board and, having thrown guns on shoulders, began to approach Ms. Kingman.
She screamed from surprise, having taken away this couple.
One of them – the tolstenky, short little man with pale, despite the southern sun, the grown fat, long ago not shaved face – struck at once with some contrasts of a suit and all appearance. On his head there was a bowler hat crumpled, dirty, appearing through in many places. The tuxedo, despite holes and patches, still kept traces of good breed. But trousers had the most pathetic appearance, going down a fringe below knees. The worn-out varnished shoes and the torn fulyarovy bow on a neck supplemented a dress.
Another – high, brawny, suntanned, with a black beard, in a wide-brimmed Mexican hat of a sombrero, in a dark shirt, with hands, naked on an elbow, and in high boots – reminded the Mexican sheep breeder. Its movements were bystra and cuttings.
– Bonzhur, mademoiselle – welcomed Ms. Kingman the fat man, exchanging bows in the most gallant way. – Allow to congratulate you on safe arrival on the Island of the Lost Ships.
– I thank you though I would not call my arrival safe… What it is necessary for you?
– First of all may I introduce myself: Aristide Dode. A surname washing Dode and and, Dode. I am Frenchman…
– Perhaps, relative to the writer Alphonse Dode? – involuntarily Ms. Kingman asked.
– E-e… not that… so… remote… Though I had some relation to literature, so to speak… The largest paper-mills and… wallpaper in the south of France.
– Do not say too much, Ternip – gloomy and angrily said his satellite.
– As you are tactless, Flores! When I teach you to keep in decent society? Also I ask not to call me Ternip. They whether you will desire to see, called me so for fun, because of my head which as it seems to them, reminds turnip … – and, having removed a kettle, he carried out on the naked yellowish skull which kept on a strange freak of nature, a bunch of hair on a darkness.
Ms. Kingman involuntarily smiled to a well-aimed nickname.
– But what from me it is necessary to you? – again Viviana repeated the question.
– The governor Ostrova of the Lost Ships, the captain Feargus Sleyton, issued the order to which we have to obey blindly and steadily: each newcomer of people has to be immediately presented to it.
– Also I assure you, Ms. or Mrs., I have no honor to know who you are, you will get the most hearty welcome at the captain Sleyton.
– I will not go anywhere – Ms. Kingman answered.
Ternip sighed.
– It is very unpleasant to me, but…
– To you will play the diplomat! – again roughly Flores interfered and, having approached to Vivian, imperatively told: – You have to follow us.
Ms. Kingman understood that resistance will be vain. Having thought a little, she told:
– Well. I agree. But allow me to change clothes – and it showed on the working suit and an apron.
– Superfluous! – Flores cut off.
– It will not take a lot of time – Ternip at the same time addressed Flores and Ms. Kingman.
– Oh, only several minutes! – and it left the deck.
In a few minutes Flores noticed that steamship
the pipe filled with smoke. He understood military cunning at once.
– The damned woman outwitted. You see smoke? It is a signal. She calls someone to the aid! – And, removing a rifle from a shoulder, he began to scold Ternip: – And all you! Thawed. Here I will tell your old woman!
– You are incorrigible, Flores. We could not drag by force the defenseless woman.
– Knights! Gallantry! Here Feargus will prescribe you knights… Whether it is necessary? – And, having taken the gun atilt, he nodded to a board through which jumped over Gatling and still wet Simpkins, all in green seaweed, with the crabs who clung to clothes: – It still that for water?.
Negotiations began. The Gatling would not be afraid to try forces with these two ragamuffins. But if they do not lie, fight will not lead to anything: on the Island as they assure, there lives the whole population – forty three well armed persons. Forces are unequal – the
