' Then the captain,
his hat pulled down over his eyes, laid his stick on the table and asked
in his kind way: 'How did you find your mother, Franklin?'--'The old
lady's first-rate, sir, thank you.' And then they had nothing to say to
each other. It was a strange and disturbing feeling for Franklin. He,
just back from leave, the ship just come to her loading berth, the
captain just come on board, and apparently nothing to say! The several
questions he had been anxious to ask as to various things which had to be
done had slipped out of his mind. He, too, felt as though he had nothing
to say.
The captain, picking up his stick off the table, marched into his state-
room and shut the door after him. Franklin remained still for a moment
and then started slowly to go on deck. But before he had time to reach
the other end of the saloon he heard himself called by name. He turned
round. The captain was staring from the doorway of his state-room.
Franklin said, "Yes, sir." But the captain, silent, leaned a little
forward grasping the door handle. So he, Franklin, walked aft keeping
his eyes on him.
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