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Thereforeshewentintothatnaturalharbortowaitforafewdaysinpreferencetoremaininginanopenroadstead.
“That’sso,”confirmedthesecondmate,suddenly,inhisslightlyhoarsevoice.“Shedrawsovertwentyfeet.She’stheLiverpoolshipSephorawithacargoofcoal.Hundredandtwenty-threedaysfromCardiff.”
Welookedathiminsurprise.
“Thetugboatskippertoldmewhenhecameonboardforyourletters,sir,”explainedtheyoungman.“Heexpectstotakeheruptheriverthedayaftertomorrow.”
Afterthusoverwhelminguswiththeextentofhisinformationheslippedoutofthecabin.Themateobservedregretfullythathe“couldnotaccountforthatyoungfellow’swhims.”Whatpreventedhimtellingusallaboutitatonce,hewantedtoknow.
Idetainedhimashewasmakingamove.Forthelasttwodaysthecrewhadhadplentyofhardwork,andthenightbeforetheyhadverylittlesleep.IfeltpainfullythatI—astranger—wasdoingsomethingunusualwhenIdirectedhimtoletallhandsturninwithoutsettingananchorwatch.Iproposedtokeepondeckmyselftilloneo’clockorthereabouts.Iwouldgetthesecondmatetorelievemeatthathour.
“Hewillturnoutthecookandthestewardatfour,”Iconcluded,“andthengiveyouacall.Ofcourseattheslightestsignofanysortofwindwe’llhavethehandsupandmakeastartatonce.”
Heconcealedhisastonishment.“Verywell,sir.”Outsidethecuddyheputhisheadinthesecondmate’sdoortoinformhimofmyunheard-ofcapricetotakeafivehours’anchorwatchonmyself.
