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"Well," says he with a
sudden grin from ear to ear, "I never knew him keep any of you gentlemen
so long. He failed two second mates this morning before your turn came.
Less than twenty minutes each: that's about his usual time."
"I found myself downstairs without being aware of the steps as if I had
floated down the staircase. The finest day in my life. The day you get
your first command is nothing to it. For one thing a man is not so young
then and for another with us, you know, there is nothing much more to
expect. Yes, the finest day of one's life, no doubt, but then it is just
a day and no more. What comes after is about the most unpleasant time
for a youngster, the trying to get an officer's berth with nothing much
to show but a brand-new certificate. It is surprising how useless you
find that piece of ass's skin that you have been putting yourself in such
a state about. It didn't strike me at the time that a Board of Trade
certificate does not make an officer, not by a long long way. But the
slippers of the ships I was haunting with demands for a job knew that
very well.


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