CHAPTER VI "I was the Flail of the Lord"

.Well,Ididn'taskyouinherejusttotalksport.We'vegottofixourbusiness.Herearethesailin's,onthefirstpageoftheTimes.There'saBoothboatforParanextWednesdayweek,andiftheProfessorandyoucanworkit,Ithinkweshouldtakeit—what?Verygood,I'llfixitwithhim.Whataboutyouroutfit?" "Mypaperwillseetothat." "Canyoushoot?" "AboutaverageTerritorialstandard." "GoodLord!asbadasthat?It'sthelastthingyouyoungfellahsthinkoflearnin'.You'reallbeeswithoutstings,sofaraslookin'afterthehivegoes.You'lllooksilly,someo'thesedays,whensomeonecomesalongan'sneaksthehoney.Butyou'llneedtoholdyourgunstraightinSouthAmerica,for,unlessourfriendtheProfessorisamadmanoraliar,wemayseesomequeerthingsbeforewegetback.Whatgunhaveyou?" Hecrossedtoanoakencupboard,andashethrewitopenIcaughtaglimpseofglisteningrowsofparallelbarrels,likethepipesofanorgan. "I'llseewhatIcanspareyououtofmyownbattery,"saidhe. Onebyonehetookoutasuccessionofbeautifulrifles,openingandshuttingthemwithasnapandaclang,andthenpattingthemasheputthembackintotherackastenderlyasamotherwouldfondleherchildren. "ThisisaBland's.577axiteexpress,"saidhe."Igotthatbigfellowwithit."Heglancedupatthewhiterhinoceros."Tenmoreyards,andhe'dwouldhaveaddedmetoHIScollection. 'Onthatconicalbullethisonechancehangs,'Tistheweakone'sadvantagefair.' HopeyouknowyourGordon,forhe'sthepoetofthehorseandthegunandthemanthathandlesboth.Now,here'sausefultool—.470,telescopicsight,doubleejector,point-blankuptothree-fifty.That'stherifleIusedagainstthePeruvianslave-driversthreeyearsago.IwastheflailoftheLordupinthoseparts,Imaytellyou,thoughyouwon'tfinditinanyBlue-book.Therearetimes,youngfellah,wheneveryoneofusmustmakeastandforhumanrightandjustice,oryouneverfeelcleanagain.That'swhyImadealittlewaronmyown.Declareditmyself,wageditmyself,endeditmyself.Eachofthosenicksisforaslavemurderer—agoodrowofthem—what?ThatbigoneisforPedroLopez,thekingofthemall,thatIkilledinabackwaterofthePutomayoRiver.Now,here'ssomethingthatwoulddoforyou."Hetookoutabeautifulbrown-and-silverrifle."Wellrubberedatthestock,sharplysighted,fivecartridgestotheclip.Youcantrustyourlifetothat."Hehandedittomeandclosedthedoorofhisoakcabinet. "Bytheway,"hecontinued,comingbacktohischair,"whatdoyouknowofthisProfessorChallenger?" "Ineversawhimtillto-day." "Well,neitherdidI.It'sfunnyweshouldbothsailundersealedordersfromamanwedon'tknow.Heseemedanuppisholdbird.Hisbrothersofsciencedon'tseemtoofondofhim,either.Howcameyoutotakeaninterestintheaffair?" Itoldhimshortlymyexperiencesofthemorning,andhelistenedintently.ThenhedrewoutamapofSouthAmericaandlaiditonthetable. "Ibelieveeverysinglewordhesaidtoyouwasthetruth,"saidhe,earnestly,"and,mindyou,IhavesomethingtogoonwhenIspeaklikethat.SouthAmericaisaplaceIlove,andIthink,ifyoutakeitrightthroughfromDarientoFuego,it'sthegrandest,richest,mostwonderfulbitofearthuponthisplanet.Peopledon'tknowityet,anddon'trealizewhatitmaybecome.I'vebeenupan'downitfromendtoend,andhadtwodryseasonsinthoseveryparts,asItoldyouwhenIspokeofthewarImadeontheslave-dealers.Well,whenIwasupthereIheardsomeyarnsofthesamekind—traditionsofIndia