The Boy Fortune Hunters in Yucatan by L. Frank Baum

I did not hear our passengers come aboard that night, being sound asleep. By the time I left my room next morning we were under way and steaming briskly over one of those quiet seas for which the Pacific is remarkable.

In the main cabin I found Lieutenant Allerton sitting at breakfast with Captain Steele, Uncle Naboth and Archie. Joe was snoozing after his late watch and Ned Britton was on deck. Behind our guest's chair stood the handsomest Indian I have ever seen, the Maya he had mentioned to us and whose name was Chaka. Our South Sea Islanders were genuine black men, but Chaka's skin was the color of golden copper. He had straight black hair, but not the high cheek bones of the typical American Indian, and the regularity of his features was certainly remarkable. His eyes were large, frank in expression and dark brown in color; he seemed intelligent and observant but never spoke unless first addressed, and then in modest but dignified tones. His English was expressive but not especially fluent, and it was easy to understand that he had picked up the language mainly by hearing it spoken.

My first glance at Chaka interested me in the fellow, yet of course during that first meeting I discovered few of the characteristics I have described. At this time he was silent and motionless as a statue save when opportunity offered to serve his master.

The lieutenant wore this morning a white duck mess costume for which he apologized by saying that his civilian wardrobe was rather limited, and if we would pardon the formality he would like to get all the wear from his old uniforms that was possible, during the voyage.

We told him to please himself. I thought he looked more manly and imposing in naval uniform than in "cits."

"But I don't see how he can be shy of clothes," remarked Archie, after breakfast, as we paced the deck together. "Allerton lugged seven big boxes aboard last night; I saw them come up the side; and if they don't contain his togs I'd like to know what on earth they _do_ hold."

"That's none of our affair, Archie," I remarked.

"Do you think this thing is all straight and above board, Sam? " asked my friend.

"Of course, Archie. He's a lieutenant in the United States navy, and has a regular leave of absence. He joined us with the approval and good will of his commander."

"I know; but it seems queer, somehow. Take that copper-faced fellow, for instance, who looks more like a king than a servant; what has Allerton got such a body guard as that for? I never knew any other naval officer to have the like. And three months' leave-on private business. Suff'rin' Pete! what's that for?"

"You might ask the lieutenant," I replied, indifferently.

"Then there's the boxes; solid redwood and clamped with brass; seven of 'em! What's in 'em, Sam, do you suppose?"

"Archie boy, you're getting unduly suspicious. And you're minding some one else's business. Get the quoits and I'll toss a game with you."

Our passenger was very quiet during the following day or two. He neither intruded nor secluded himself, but met us frankly when we were thrown together, listened carefully to our general conversation, and refrained from taking part in it more than politeness required.

Joe thought the young fellow seemed thoughtful and ill at ease, and confided to me that he had noticed Allerton now made more of a companion of the Maya than a dependant, although the man, for his part, never abated his deferent respect. Chaka seemed to regard Allerton with the love and fidelity of a dog for its master; yet if any of the sailors, or even Nux or Bryonia, spoke to the Indian with undue familiarity Chaka would draw himself up proudly and assume the pose of a superior.

We were much interested in the personality of these two unusual personages-that is, Joe, Archie and I were-and we often discussed them among ourselves. We three boys, being chums of long standing, were much together and had come to understand one another pretty well. We all liked Paul Allerton, for there was something winning in his personality. As for the Indian, Chaka, he did not repel us as much as he interested and fascinated us. One night big Bry, whom we admitted to perfect familiarity because of his long service, said to us:

"That Maya no common Injun, Mars' Sam, yo' take my word. He say his country Yucatan, an' that place Yucatan don' mean nuthin' to me, nohow, 'cause I never been there. But, wherever it is, Chaka's people mus' be good people, an' Chaka hisself never had any other marsa than Mars' Allerton."

"He has been serving in the navy, Bry."

"That don' count, sah. Yo' know what I mean."

On the evening of the third day out from Magdalena we were clustered as usual upon the deck, amusing ourselves by casual conversation, when Lieutenant Allerton approached us and said: