French Pete did not join them, though 'Frisco Kid attempted a couple of
times to rouse him. He mumbled and grunted, half opened his bleared eyes,
then fell to snoring again.
"Can't tell when he 's going to get those spells," 'Frisco Kid explained,
when Joe, having finished washing dishes, came on deck. "Sometimes he
won't get that way for a month, and others he won't be decent for a
week at a stretch. Sometimes he 's good-natured, and sometimes he 's
dangerous; so the best thing to do is to let him alone and keep out of
his way; and don't cross him, for if you do there 's liable to be trouble.
"Come on; let 's take a swim," he added, abruptly changing the subject
to one more agreeable. "Can you swim?"
Joe nodded.
"What 's that place?" he asked, as he poised before diving, pointing toward
a sheltered beach on the island where there were several buildings and a
large number of tents.
"Quarantine station. Lots of smallpox coming in now on the China steamers,
and they make them go there till the doctors say they 're safe to land. I
tell you, they 're strict about it, too. Why--"
Splash! Had 'Frisco Kid finished his sentence just then, instead of diving
overboard, much trouble might have been saved to Joe. But he did not finish
it, and Joe dived after him.
"I 'll tell you what," 'Frisco Kid suggested half an hour later, while they
clung to the bobstay preparatory to climbing out.
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