CHAPTER VII

For the rest of the voyage Michael had the run of the ship.  Friendly to all, he reserved his love for Steward alone, though he was not above many an undignified romp with the fox-terriers.

“The most playful-minded dog, without being silly, I ever saw,” was Dag Daughtry’s verdict to the Shortlands planter, to whom he had just sold one of his turtle-shell combs.  “You see, some dogs never get over the play-idea, an’ they’re never good for anything else.  But not Killeny Boy.  He can come down to seriousness in a second.  I’ll show you, and I’ll show you he’s got a brain that counts to five an’ knows wireless telegraphy.  You just watch.”

At the moment the steward made his faint lip-noise—­so faint that he could not hear it himself and was almost for wondering whether or not he had made it; so faint that the Shortlands planter did not dream that he was making it.  At that moment Michael was lying squirming on his back a dozen feet away, his legs straight up in the air, both fox-terriers worrying with well-stimulated ferociousness.  With a quick out-thrust of his four legs, he rolled over on his side and with questioning eyes and pricked ears looked and listened.  Again Daughtry made the lip-noise; again the Shortlands planter did not hear nor guess; and Michael bounded to his feet and to his lord’s side.

“Some dog, eh?” the steward boasted.

“But how did he know you wanted him?” the planter queried.  “You never called him.”

“Mental telepathy, the affinity of souls pitched in the same whatever-you-call-it harmony,” the steward mystified.  “You see, Killeny an’ me are made of the same kind of stuff, only run into different moulds.  He might a-been my full brother, or me his, only for some mistake in the creation factory somewhere.  Now I’ll show you he knows his bit of arithmetic.”

And, drawing the paper balls from his pocket, Dag Daughtry demonstrated to the amazement and satisfaction of the ring of passengers Michael’s ability to count to five.

“Why, sir,” Daughtry concluded the performance, “if I was to order four glasses of beer in a public-house ashore, an’ if I was absent-minded an’ didn’t notice the waiter ’d only brought three, Killeny Boy there ’d raise a row instanter.”

Kwaque was no longer compelled to enjoy his jews’ harp on the gratings over the fire-room, now that Michael’s presence on the Makambo was known, and, in the stateroom, on stolen occasions, he made experiments of his own with Michael.  Once the jews’ harp began emitting its barbaric rhythms, Michael was helpless.  He needs must open his mouth and pour forth an unwilling, gushing howl.  But, as with Jerry, it was not mere howl.  It was more akin to a mellow singing; and it was not long before Kwaque could lead his voice up and down, in rough time and tune, within a definite register.