Сердца трех / Hearts of three. Уровень 3

The man who wins gets the other fellow’s ears.”

“Agreed.”

The young man in the canvas trousers sheathed his knife. They began to fight. Francis was winning, but in a moment Francis was lying on his back.

“Why do you wear a mustache?” the stranger muttered.

“Cut my ears,” Francis gasped. “The ears are yours, but the mustache is mine.”

“As for your ears, keep them. Get up and get out of here. And don’t come here again!”

Francis turned down to the beach toward his canoe.

“Say, will you leave your card?” the victor called after him.

“My name’s Morgan, that’s enough,” Francis answered.

“Really? No wonder we look alike. Listen,” the stranger said. “I am a Morgan, too.”

“My first name is Francis,” Francis returned. “And yours?”

“Henry. We must be cousins. What are you doing here? As for me, I am looking for the old Morgan’s treasure.”

“So am I,” said Francis.

Chapter III

Henry rowed off to the Angelique with orders from his visitor to the skipper to stay at anchor.

“Let me tell you an interesting story,’ Francis said to Henry. “Day before yesterday, I rowed ashore over on the mainland. The moment I landed, the prettiest girl in the world dragged me away into the jungle. I thought she was going to eat me or marry me. Then she said something about my mustache and pushed me back to the boat with a revolver.

“Where was this?” Henry demanded.

“The other end of Chiriqui Lagoon,” Francis replied. “I think, it was the ground of the Solano family; and they are a tough family. But that’s not the whole story. Listen. First she dragged me into the jungle and insulted my mustache; next she chased me to the boat with a revolver; and then she wanted to know why I didn’t kiss her.”

“And did you?” Henry demanded.

“You know, the girl was very pretty…”

“Oh, my God! That was Leoncia[25 - Leoncia – Леонсия]!” Henry said angrily.

“So what? Leoncia? Or Mercedes? Or Dolores? Why can’t I kiss a pretty girl?”

“You see, this pretty girl is going to marry me!”

“She took me for you[26 - she took me for you – она приняла меня за тебя],” Francis said. “And your Leoncia pulled her little revolver on an old fellow who wanted to kill me.