I don't know, though. We sailors haven't got much time to look
about us to any purpose. Anyhow, as the old lady was there I haven't, I
may say, looked at a girl in all my life. Not that I wasn't partial to
female society in my time," he added with a pathetic intonation, while
the whites of his goggle eyes gleamed amorously under the clear night
sky. "Very partial, I may say."
Mr. Powell was amused; and as these communications took place only when
the mate was relieved off duty he had no serious objection to them. The
mate's presence made the first half-hour and sometimes even more of his
watch on deck pass away. If his senior did not mind losing some of his
rest it was not Mr. Powell's affair. Franklin was a decent fellow. His
intention was not to boast of his filial piety.
"Of course I mean respectable female society," he explained. "The other
sort is neither here nor there. I blame no man's conduct, but a well-
brought-up young fellow like you knows that there's precious little fun
to be got out of it." He fetched a deep sigh. "I wish Captain Anthony's
mother had been a lasting sort like my old lady.
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