"He has allotted to himself the duty of caring for the property of his
masters, Hiro," I said, "and hence is not really a malefactor.
Besides, since he would not leave the boat and follow our trail, he is
by this time hungry. Feed him, Hiro."
But Hiroshimi was not eager to approach the piratical canine again; so
I, myself, fished something from a hamper and called the dog to me. He
ate gladly and most gratefully.
Now, it is a strange thing to say, but it is the truth, I had never
before in my life fed a dog! I had won many knotty suits at law, had
solved many hard problems dealing with human nature--and had found
human nature for the most part rarely glad or grateful--but I have
never owned or even fed a dog. A strange new feeling came in my throat
now. Suddenly I swallowed some invisible intangible thing.
"John," said I, "what breed of dog is this?" Indeed, it was hard to
tell offhand, although he had the keen head of a collie.
"I guess he's just one o' them partial dogs," answered John, "mostly
shepherd, maybe; I dunno."
"Very well, Partial shall be his name. And is he yours?"
"He runs round on the farm. He goes with Jimmy an' me."
"John, will you sell me Partial?" I asked this suddenly, realizing
that my voice might sound odd.
"What'd ye want him fer?" he replied. "He'd be a nuisance."
"I think not. See how faithful he has been, see how grateful he is;
and how wise. He reasoned where you were as well as I reasoned who you
were. He knows now that we are talking about him, and knows that I am
his friend--see him look at me; see him come over and stand by me.
John, do you think--do you believe a dog, this dog, would learn to
like me, ever? Would he understand me?"
"Well," said John judicially, standing sword in hand, "I dunno.
Someways, maybe dogs and boys understands quicker. But you understand
us. Maybe he'd understand you."
"Well reasoned, Jean Lafitte," said I, "perhaps your logic is better
than you know, at least, I hope so. And now I offer you yonder
magazine pistol as your own in fee, if you will sign over to me all
your right, title and interest, in Partial, here. Evidently he belongs
with us. He seems to care for us. And I experience some odd sort of
feeling, which I can not quite describe. Perhaps it is only that I
feel like a boy, and one that is going to own a dog. Is it a bargain?"
"Sure! You c'n have him for nuthin'," said Lafitte. "He ain't worth
nothin'. Besides, I can't charge a brother of the flag anything;
anyhow, not you." I inferred that Jean Lafitte, also, was going to
grow up into one of those men like myself, cursed with a reticence and
shyness in some matters, and so winning a reputation of oddness or
coldness, against all the real and passionate protest of his own soul.