human
I don't ask your papers, he went on.
gpt
What I ask is, cash payment in full the first of each month, sixty dollars a month gold--
human
Oodles and oodles of it, gold and gold and better than gold, in cask and chest, in cask and chest, a fathom under the sand, the Ancient Mariner assured him in beneficent cackles.
gpt
Kings, principalities and powers!--all of us, the least of us. And plenty more, my gentlemen, plenty more. The latitude and longitude are mine, and the bearings from the oak ribs on the shoal to Lion's Head, and the cross-bearings from the points unnamable, I only know. I only still live of all that brave, mad, scallywag ship's company . . .
human
Will you sign the articles to that?
gpt
What port do you wind up the cruise in?
human
San Francisco.
gpt
I'll sign the articles that I'm to sign off in San Francisco then.
human
But there's several other things to be agreed upon, Daughtry continued.
gpt
In the first place, I want my six quarts a day. I'm used to it, and I'm too old a stager to change my habits.
human
Of spirits, I suppose?
gpt
No; of beer, good English beer. It must be understood beforehand, no matter what long stretches we may be at sea, that a sufficient supply is taken along.
human
Anything else?
gpt
Yes, sir, Daughtry answered.
human
I got a dog that must come along.
gpt
Anything else?--a wife or family maybe?
human
No wife or family, sir. But I got a nigger, a perfectly good nigger, that's got to come along. He can sign on for ten dollars a month if he works for the ship all his time. But if he works for me all the time, I'll let him sign on for two an' a half a month.
gpt
Eighteen days in the longboat, the Ancient Mariner shrilled, to Daughtry's startlement.
human
Eighteen days in the longboat, eighteen days of scorching hell.
gpt
My word, quoth Daughtry,
human
Sea stewards put on some style, I must say,
gpt
Suppose we don't see our way to signing on a steward who travels in such style?
human
Then you'll never know what a good steward you've missed, sir,
gpt
I guess there's plenty more stewards on Sydney beach, the captain said briskly.
human
And I guess I haven't forgotten old days, when I hired them like so much dirt, yes, by Jinks, so much dirt, there were so many of them.
gpt
Thank you, Mr. Steward, for looking us up, the Jew took up the idea with insulting oiliness.
human
We very much regret our inability to meet your wishes in the matter--
gpt
And I saw it go under the sand, a fathom under the sand, on cross-bearings unnamable, where the mangroves fade away, and the coconuts grow, and the rise of land lifts from the beach to the Lion's Head.
human
Hold your horses, the wheat-farmer said, with a flare of irritation, directed, not at the Ancient Mariner, but at the captain and the Jew.
gpt
Who's putting up for this expedition? Don't I get no say so? Ain't my opinion ever to be asked? I like this steward. Strikes me he's the real goods. I notice he's as polite as all get-out, and I can see he can take an order without arguing. And he ain't no fool by a long shot.
human
That's the very point, Grimshaw, the Jew answered soothingly.
gpt
Considering the unusualness of our . . . of the expedition, we'd be better served by a steward who is more of a fool. Another point, which I'd esteem a real favour from you, is not to forget that you haven't put a red copper more into this trip than I have--
human
And where'd either of you be, if it wasn't for me with my knowledge of the sea? the captain demanded aggrievedly.
gpt
To say nothing of the mortgage on my house and on the nicest little best paying flat building in San Francisco since the earthquake.
human
But who's still putting up?--all of you, I ask you. The wheat-farmer leaned forward, resting the heels of his hands on his knees so that the fingers hung down his long shins, in Daughtry's appraisal, half-way to his feet.
gpt
You, Captain Doane, can't raise another penny on your properties. My land still grows the wheat that brings the ready. You, Simon Nishikanta, won't put up another penny--yet your loan-shark offices are doing business at the same old stands at God knows what per cent. to drunken sailors. And you hang the expedition up here in this hole-in-the- wall waiting for my agent to cable more wheat-money. Well, I guess we'll just sign on this steward at sixty a month and all he asks, or I'll just naturally quit you cold on the next fast steamer to San Francisco.
human
I'm sick and tired of you all, yes, I am, he continued.
gpt
Get busy! Well, let's get busy. My money's coming. It'll be here by to-morrow. Let's be ready to start by hiring a steward that is a steward. I don't care if he brings two families along.
human
I guess you're right, Grimshaw, Simon Nishikanta said appeasingly.
gpt
The trip is beginning to get on all our nerves. Forget it if I fly off the handle. Of course we'll take this steward if you want him. I thought he was too stylish for you.
human
Naturally, the least said ashore about us the better.
gpt
That's all right, sir. I can keep my mouth shut, though I might as well tell you there's some pretty tales about you drifting around the beach right now.
human
The object of our expedition?
gpt
Is that why you want to come?
human
As long as you give me my beer each day, sir, I ain't goin' to be interested in your treasure-huntin'. It ain't no new tale to me. The South Seas is populous with treasure-hunters-- Almost could Daughtry have sworn that he had seen a flash of anxiety break through the dream- films that bleared the Ancient Mariner's eyes.
gpt
And I must say, sir, he went on easily, though saying what he would not have said had it not been for what he was almost certain he sensed of the ancient's anxiousness,
human
But I ain't interested in treasure, sir, Daughtry concluded.
gpt
It's beer I'm interested in. You can chase your treasure, an' I don't care how long, just as long as I've got six quarts to open each day. But I give you fair warning, sir, before I sign on: if the beer dries up, I'm goin' to get interested in what you're after. Fair play is my motto.
human
Do you expect us to pay for your beer in addition?