"
"My name is Edward Bucklaw, and I have come to your excellency because
I know there is no braver and more enterprising gentleman in the world."
He paused. "So much for preamble; now for the discourse."
"By your excellency's leave. I am a poor man. I have only my little
craft and a handful of seamen picked up at odd prices. But there's gold
and silver enough I know of, owned by no man, to make cargo and ballast
for the Nell Gwynn, or another twice her size."
"Gold and silver," said the governor, cocking his ear and eyeing his
visitor up and down. Colonel Nicholls had an acquisitive instinct; he
was interested. "Well, well, gold and silver," he continued, "to fill
the Nell Gwynn and another! And what concern is that of mine? Let your
words come plain off your tongue; I have no time for foolery."
"'Tis no foolery on my tongue, sir, as you may please to see."
He drew a paper from his pocket and shook it out as he came a little
nearer, speaking all the while. His voice had gone low, running to a
soft kind of chuckle, and his eyes were snapping with fire, which
Iberville alone had seen was false. "I have come to make your
excellency's fortune, if you will stand by with a good, stout ship
and a handful of men to see me through."
The governor shrugged his shoulders. "Babble," he said, "all babble and
bubble.
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