Anybody could see that the man was changed.
"As to that," said young Powell, "it is impossible for me to judge."
"Good Lord!" whispered the mate. "An educated, clever young fellow like
you with a pair of eyes on him and some sense too! Is that how a happy
man looks? Eh? Young you may be, but you aren't a kid; and I dare you
to say 'Yes!'"
Mr. Powell did not take up the challenge. He did not know what to think
of the mate's view. Still, it seemed as if it had opened his
understanding in a measure. He conceded that the captain did not look
very well.
"Not very well," repeated the mate mournfully. "Do you think a man with
a face like that can hope to live his life out? You haven't knocked
about long in this world yet, but you are a sailor, you have been in
three or four ships, you say. Well, have you ever seen a shipmaster
walking his own deck as if he did not know what he had underfoot? Have
you? Dam'me if I don't think that he forgets where he is. Of course he
can be no other than a prime seaman; but it's lucky, all the same, he has
me on board.
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