(Staff-Captain)
What the Chief said when he received the message is not included in the
story.
But the same social aplomb that had made Gissing successful as a
floorwalker now came to his rescue as mariner. The passengers at the
Captain's table were amazed at his genial charm. His anecdotes of sea
life were heartily applauded. After dinner he circulated gracefully in
the ladies' lounge, and took coffee there surrounded by a chattering
bevy. He organized a little impromptu concert in the music room, and
when that was well started, slipped away to the smoke-room. Here he
found a pool being organized as to the exact day and hour when the
Pomerania would reach port. Appealed to for his opinion, he advised
caution. On all sides he was in demand, for dancing, for bridge, for
a recitation. At length he slipped away, pleading that he must keep
himself fit in case of fog. The passengers were loud in his praise,
asserting that they had never met so agreeable a sea-captain. One
elderly lady said she remembered crossing with him in the old Caninia,
years ago, and that he was just the same then.