CHAPTER XIII.
MR. COBBINGTON AND HIS PET RATTLESNAKE.
I turned out the next morning, or rather the same morning, only inseason for breakfast. I had put my letter in the mail-box, and it hadgone ashore in the first boat at four o'clock. I kept an anchor watchall night in port, which was divided up amongst all hands in thesailing and engineer's department, except myself. Word had been passedfrom watch to watch to call the steward and a boat's crew at half pastthree. The boats were hoisted up to the davits at night, and itrequired some time to get one into the water.
When I went in to breakfast, I found that Washburn had gone ashore inthe steward's boat, and had not yet returned. He was the only person onboard, besides myself, who had liberty to leave the vessel without mypermission, or his, if I was not on board. But the steamer had been putin perfect order the day before, and she never was in better conditionthan when I looked her over after breakfast. The day was bright andclear, as nearly all the days were in Florida. Every officer and seamanhad put on his best uniform, and we were in "show" order, above andbelow decks.
The American flag was flying at the peak, and, in honor of the Englishguests who were to come on board, I had hoisted the British flag at thefore. Both boats' crews were in readiness to bring off the party assoon as they appeared on the Market Wharf. About nine o'clock we got asignal from that locality, but there was no party there, and the signalcame from the mate.
"You went off early, Washburn," I said, as he came up the gangwaysteps.
"I was afraid the matter would get cold if I waited," replied the mate,who seemed to be in excellent humor.
"What matter is that?" I inquired.
"I went ashore to look up that snaky lodger of Captain Boomsby's,"answered Washburn. "There was certainly a lodger there, who furnishedhis own room, and stayed about two weeks."
"Did he furnish his room for a stay of only two weeks?" I inquired.
"I have not been able to find the person yet. He had his furniturecarried to an auction-room, where it was sold."
"How did you learn all this?"
"I found Boomsby's saloon first. About five o'clock the porter of thestore next to it began to sweep off the sidewalk. I saw that my uniformtook his eye, and he was as polite to me as though I had been anadmiral in the United States Navy. I talked with him awhile, asking himquestions about the city. Finally I brought the matter of theconversation down to the subject of saloons. I thought there wereplenty of them. He told me some of them had a separate bar for coloredpeople, where they sold the cheapest corn whiskey and apple brandy forten cents a glass, and made nine cents on every glass they sold."
"That's just the business for Captain Boomsby: it is just mean enoughfor him," I added.
"The porter spoke of the Boomsby saloon as a new one opened a few weeksbefore. The keeper had a bar for colored customers in a back room, withan entrance from the lane in the rear. When he said this, I began topump him in regard to Boomsby. I finally asked if the captain tookboarders or lodgers. He had one; but this one had had a quarrel withthe saloonist's wife, and had left. He did not know his name, or wherehe went to. He said the cartman that stood at the next corner hadcarted off his furniture."
"Then you went for the cartman," I suggested.
"I went for him; but I could not find him for some time, and that iswhat made me so late," continued Washburn. "The porter told me he washauling baggage from the Charleston steamer, which had just got in, tothe Carlton Hotel. His name was Jackman, and it was on his wagon. Ifound the cartman, but he was so busy I had no chance to speak to himuntil half past eight. I took my breakfast at the Carlton, which iskept by Maine people. I introduced myself to one of the proprietors;and of course they knew my father. I told him I had been waiting a longtime to speak to Jackman. He immediately called him into the office.
"Thus introduced to Jackman, he was willing to tell me all he knew onany subject. He said he had carried the furniture of the lodger to anauction-room, and his trunks and other things to the St. Johns House.The lodger's name was Cobbington; and Jackman thought he was poor."
"He must have been, to take a room at Captain Boomsby's house."
"I asked Jackman what things besides the trunks he had carried to theSt. Johns Hotel. He replied that Cobbington had a pet rattlesnake and abox of alligators."
"All this goes to confirm Captain Boomsby's explanation," I added.
"I think it has a tendency that way. I asked Jackman if the lodger hadany other snakes; but he knew of no others, and had seen none in theattic rooms from which he took his load. I went next to the St. JohnsHouse, which is kept by a lady. She gave me all the information shecould. Mr. Cobbington's rattlesnake had got out of his box, and hadbeen killed by one of the boarders. He was so angry at the loss of thereptile that he left the house at once. The landlady did not know wherehe had gone. Under the circumstances, she had not taken the pains toinquire. She did not want any gentleman in her house who kept arattlesnake in his chamber; and I was of just her way of thinking. Shedid not remember what cartman had conveyed his baggage from the house.If I had had an hour more, I think I could have found the man; for thelandlady gave me the day on which he left."
"I don't think it will be of much use to follow the matter anyfurther," I suggested. "This story makes it probable that Cobbingtonhad other snakes."
"It may make it possible, but not probable. It is only a matter offact, and I am going to get to the bottom of it if I can," persistedthe mate.
"I beg pardon, Mr. Washburn, but your breakfast is waiting for you,"said Griffin Leeds, stepping up to the mate at this moment.
I started when I heard the silky voice of the octoroon. I had heard nostep to indicate his approach, and I feared that he had listened tosomething one of us had said.
"I have been to breakfast," replied the mate, rather savagely for him;and I saw that he had the same fear.
The waiter hastened back to the forward cabin, where he belonged.Washburn called to Ben Bowman, who was standing at the door of theengine-room, and asked him how long Griffin had stood behind us. Theassistant engineer thought he had been there two or three minutes, atleast, waiting for a chance to speak to one of us. I was vexed at thecircumstance. If Cornwood was the agent of Captain Boomsby, and GriffinLeeds was the tool of the Floridian, our conversation would all bereported to the principal in the conspiracy, always granting there wasany truth in our surmises.
"I suppose we shall get back from this excursion some time to-night,"said Washburn, thoughtfully.
"I think we shall get back before dark," I replied.
"I don't say there is anything in what we were talking about lastnight, but there may be. If there is anything in it, Cornwood will tellBoomsby, after we return, what we have been talking about," replied themate.
"Griffin will find a chance to tell Cornwood that you have been lookingup the lodger, and Cornwood will carry it to Boomsby," I repeated.
"Just so. Now, we must fix things a little. Don't let Cornwood go onshore to-night."
"How can I keep him? He is hardly like the other members of the ship'scompany."
"You can need him for some purpose or other," suggested the mate, witha smile. "We must fight them with their own weapons."
"I was thinking to-day that I wanted to lay out the trip up the riverwith him. I bought a large pocket-map of Florida to-day, so that Icould do it understandingly, though where we go will depend largely onthe will and pleasure of our passengers. I can keep him for thispurpose," I said.
"All right; and I will go ashore as soon as the mudhook touches thesand on our return," added Washburn. "There are several carriagescoming down Market Wharf."
Both boats were sent to the wharf, and Washburn went off in one of themto superintend the seating of the party in them. All our extra stoolsand chairs had been arranged on the quarter-deck, forecastle, andhurricane-deck. There were enough of them for twice the number ofpersons expected, but no one could tell where the party would choose tosit, and there were eno
ugh to accommodate them in any one place theymight select. Gopher was hard at work getting ready for the dinner, andBen was expected to help him as soon as the party were on board.
I stood at the gangway, ready to receive the guests. Suddenly a band onthe wharf struck up a lively air, and I found we were not to dependupon our own people for the music. The port boat came up first; and ourboatmen were so much accustomed to this kind of duty, that they put thepassengers on board without delay or inconvenience to them. There weresix boat-loads, including the band of twelve pieces. The boats werehoisted up, and the anchor weighed by our steam windlass.
I had been introduced to all the excursionists as they came on board,and I had directed the waiters to show them to such parts of the vesselas they might select. When I went to the pilot-house, I found the seatsall occupied by Owen and certain ladies he had invited there. As usualthey were all the youngest and prettiest of the party. Cornwood stoodat the wheel, as though he had chosen the duty he intended to perform.I had not procured a pilot, for I had been up and down the river fivetimes, and I thought I knew enough about it to pilot the vessel myself.But I wished to test Cornwood's ability, and I told him to go ahead,giving him no further instructions.
He rang the bells correctly, and handled the wheel like an old salt. Iwas rather disappointed to find that he understood his businessperfectly. His brag was not all brag. I had become considerablyprejudiced against him by all that had been said; but I felt that Icould do him justice. The scenery below the city is very pleasant, tosay the least. The orange groves, and the dwellings, many of themoccupied by people from the North, either as settlers or as winterresidents, made a picturesque view from the river. Cornwood did notseem to be wholly occupied with the wheel, for he explained the natureof the country when he found that the party in the pilot-house werewilling to listen to him. The herons, cranes, and many other birds werenew to us.
"Mayport on the starboard hand," said the guide, when we had reachedthe mouth of the river. "The houses in that village are mostly occupiedby fishermen, who catch shad and other fish in the winter and spring,and a good many southern people spend the summer here in cottages."
Cornwood directed the head of the steamer towards the other shore, andsoon brought her to a pier at Pilot Town.