"Robert Stevenson, Lloyd Osbourne. The Wrecker (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

and away before the French get wind of you."

"A pig nokket of cold is good," observed a German.

"There's something in wrecks, too," said Havens. "Look at that man in
Honolulu, and the ship that went ashore on Waikiki Reef; it was blowing a
kona, hard; and she began to break up as soon as she touched. Lloyd's agent
had her sold inside an hour; and before dark, when she went to pieces in
earnest, the man that bought her had feathered his nest. Three more hours
of daylight, and he might have retired from business. As it was, he built a
house on Beretania Street, and called it for the ship."

"Yes, there's something in wrecks sometimes," said the Glasgow voice; "but
not often."

"As a general rule, there's deuced little in anything," said Havens.

"Well, I believe that's a Christian fact," cried the other. "What I want is
a secret; get hold of a rich man by the right place, and make him squeal."

"I suppose you know it's not thought to be the ticket," returned Havens.

"I don't care for that; it's good enough for me," cried the man from
Glasgow, stoutly. "The only devil of it is, a fellow can never find a
secret in a place like the South Seas: only in London and Paris."

"M'Gibbon's been reading some dime-novel, I suppose," said one club man.

"He's been reading _Aurora Floyd_," remarked another.

"And what if I have?" cried M'Gibbon. "It's all true. Look at the
newspapers! It's just your confounded ignorance that sets you snickering. I
tell you, it's as much a trade as underwriting, and a dashed sight more
honest."

The sudden acrimony of these remarks called Loudon (who was a man of peace)
from his reserve. "It's rather singular," said he, "but I seem to have
practised about all these means of livelihood."

"Tit you effer vind a nokket?" inquired the inarticulate German, eagerly.

"No. I have been most kinds of fool in my time," returned Loudon, "but not
the gold-digging variety. Every man has a sane spot somewhere."

"Well, then," suggested some one, "did you ever smuggle opium?"

"Yes, I did," said Loudon.

"Was there money in that?"