"Your boat will
lay comfortably astern, while you come below and make
yourself satisfactory."
"O, if that's all!" said Wicks. "My log and papers are
as right as the mail; nothing fishy about us." And he
hailed his friends in the boat, bidding them have
patience, and turned to follow Captain Trent.
"This way, Captain Kirkup," said the latter. "And
don't blame a man for too much caution; no offence
intended; and these China rivers shake a fellow's
nerve. All I want is just to see you're what you say
you are; it's only my duty, sir, and what you would do
yourself in the circumstances. I've not always been a
ship-captain: I was a banker once, and I tell you
that's the trade to learn caution in. You have to keep
your weather eye lifting Saturday nights." And with a
dry, business-like cordiality, he produced a bottle of
gin.
The captains pledged each other; the papers were
overhauled; the tale of Topelius and the trade was told
in appreciative ears and cemented their acquaintance.
Trent's suspicions, thus finally disposed of, were
succeeded by a fit of profound thought, during which he
sat lethargic and stern, looking at and drumming on the
table.
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