"Seven pounds, nine and a halfpenny," I said. "Yes, that's about what
it was."
"That's all right. I took care of it for you. Here's your watch and
chain. I ventured to open the pocket-book to find out your identity.
Now, if you'll take my advice you'll get up and join us at breakfast."
I took it, and soon the captain and I and the broad red man, who was the
chief mate, and rejoiced in the name of Chadwick, were seated at table,
and I don't know that grilled chops and mashed potato--for the fresh
meat supply had not yet run out--ever tasted better. The while we
discussed the situation.
"The nearest point I could land you at would be the Canaries," the
captain was saying, "and I daren't do that. My owners are deadly
particular, and it might be as much as my bunk was worth--and I've got a
family to support."
"Well, I haven't," I answered, "so I wouldn't allow you to take any risk
of the kind on my account, captain, even if you were willing to. But--
what about passing steamers?"
The two sailors looked at each other.
"The fact is," went on the captain, "it's blowing not only fresh, but
strong. The glass is dropping in a way that points to the next few days
finding us with our hands all full. After that we shan't sight anything
much this side of the Cape, and it'll hardly be worth your while to
tranship then. I'm afraid you'll have to make up your mind to do the
whole passage with us."
I recognised the force of this, and that it was a case of resigning
myself to the inevitable. And the thought ran through my mind how
strange are the workings of events. But for my brother's invite I
should have been safe and snug and humdrum in my City office. But for
the cancelling of that invite I should never have found my way to
Whiddlecombe Regis, or even have heard of such a place; and now here I
was, after a perilous experience, launched upon the high seas, bound for
a distant colony, and that without any will of my own in the matter.
Well, when I got there, I could always arrange a return passage. I had
some means of my own--not enough to keep me without working, unless I
chose to live upon what would amount to the wages of an artisan.
Therefore there was nothing to cause me serious anxiety, unless it were
that my berth would probably be filled up. But, as I have hinted, the
tenure of it was somewhat precarious, so some consolation lay that way,
and I could doubtless find another. So I reasoned, forgetting that
after all we are blind and helpless instruments in the hands of Fate, a
lesson which my experience so far might well have reminded me--certainly
in total unconsciousness of what stirring experiences, perilous and
otherwise, lay between now and when I should once more behold the
English coastline.
"You seem a good sailor, at any rate, Mr Holt," said the captain,
breaking in upon my meditations.
"Why, I never thought of feeling seasick," I answered. "It didn't occur
to me."
"No? Well, you're all right then. If we've done, I would suggest a
turn on deck. If we get a bad blow, you may not be able to get there
for a while, so better make the most of it now."