“Very han’some of you, very han’some indeed. How does she stand?”
The clerk ran his fingers down a long column of figures, and said, “There are a number of deposits in Miss Rose’s name. Shall I read the amounts?”
“I’ve got the receipts in my strong-box. All I want is the total.”
“Ten thousand, five hundred pounds,” said the clerk.
“And there’s this here new lot,” said the Pilot.
“Ten thousand, seven hundred and fifty altogether.”
The Pilot drew the heavy account book towards him, and verified the clerk’s statements. Then he made a note of the sum total, and said, “I’ll take that last receipt now, if it’s ready.”
The clerk reached over to a table, where the paper had been placed by a fellow clerk, and handed it to the gruff old sailor.
“Thank you,” said Pilot Summerhayes. “Now I can verify the whole caboodle at my leisure, though I hate figures as the devil hates holy water.” He placed the receipt in his inside pocket and buttoned up his coat. “Good-day,” he said, as he turned to go.
“I wish you good morning, Captain.”