. Captains all. d, said the boatswain, Id ownup and clear you. 46 THE BOATSWAINS MATE You might, said Mr. Travers, and thenagain you mightnt. So long, mate. I—Ill make it two quid, said the boat-swain, trembling with eagerness. Ive tooka fancy to you ; youre just the man for thejob. The soldier, adjusting his bundle, glancedat him over his shoulder. Thankee, hesaid, with mock gratitude. Look ere, said the boatswain, springingup and catching him by the sleeve ; Ill giveit to you in writing. Come, you aint faint-hearted ? Why, a bluejacket ud do it for thefun o the thing. If I give it to you in
. Captains all. d, said the boatswain, Id ownup and clear you. 46 THE BOATSWAINS MATE You might, said Mr. Travers, and thenagain you mightnt. So long, mate. I—Ill make it two quid, said the boat-swain, trembling with eagerness. Ive tooka fancy to you ; youre just the man for thejob. The soldier, adjusting his bundle, glancedat him over his shoulder. Thankee, hesaid, with mock gratitude. Look ere, said the boatswain, springingup and catching him by the sleeve ; Ill giveit to you in writing. Come, you aint faint-hearted ? Why, a bluejacket ud do it for thefun o the thing. If I give it to you in writing,and there should be an accident, its worsefor me than it is for you, aint it ? Mr. Travers hesitated and, pushing his capback, scratched his head. * I gives you the two quid afore you go intothe house, continued the boatswain, hastilyfollowing up the impression he had made. Id give em to you now if Id got em withme. Thats my confidence in you ; I likes thelook of you. Soldier or sailor, when there is a. I gives you the two quid afore you go into the house,continued the boatswain. The Boatswains Mate] [Page ^6 THE BOATSWAINS MATE 47 mans work to be done, give em to me aforeanybody. The soldier seated himself again and let hisbundle fall to the ground. Go on, he said,slowly. Write it out fair and square andsign it, and Im your man. The boatswain clapped him on the shoulderand produced a bundle of papers from hispocket. Theres letters there with myname and address on em, he said. Its allfair, square, and above-board. When youvecast your eyes over them Ill give you thewriting. Mr. Travers took them and, re-lighting hispipe, smoked in silence, with various sideglances at his companion as that enthusiastsucked his pencil and sat twisting in the agoniesof composition. The document finished—after several failures had been retrieved andburnt by the careful Mr. Travers—the boat-swain heaved a sigh of relief, and handing itover to him, leaned back with a complacentair while
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