Powell glancing up and down the
pages and touching up a letter here and there with perfect indifference.
"Even if I managed to lay hold some time to-day of a man ready to go at
such short notice I couldn't ship him regularly here--could I?"
"Mr. Powell was busy drawing his pen through the entries relating to that
unlucky second mate and making a note in the margin.
"You could sign him on yourself on board," says he without looking up.
"But I don't think you'll find easily an officer for such a pier-head
jump."
"Upon this the fine-looking skipper gave signs of distress. The ship
mustn't miss the next morning's tide. He had to take on board forty tons
of dynamite and a hundred and twenty tons of gunpowder at a place down
the river before proceeding to sea. It was all arranged for next day.
There would be no end of fuss and complications if the ship didn't turn
up in time . . . I couldn't help hearing all this, while wishing him to
take himself off, because I wanted to know why Mr. Powell had told me to
wait. After what he had been saying there didn't seem any object in my
hanging about.
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