'No, I shan't,' he replied, shortly. 'Liking has nought to do with it.'
'Ah' yo' knew nought about it last neet,' continued Daniel, musingly. 'Well, life's soon o'er; else when I were a young fellow, folks made their wills afore goin' to Lunnon.'
'Yet I'll be bound to say yo' niver made a will before going to sea,' said Philip, half smiling.
'Na, na; but that's quite another mak' o' thing; going' to sea comes natteral to a man, but goin' to Lunnon,—I were once there, and were near deafened wi' t' throng and t' sound. I were but two hours i' t' place, though our ship lay a fortneet off Gravesend.'
Kinraid now seemed in a hurry; but Philip was stung with curiosity to ascertain his movements, and suddenly addressed him:
'I heard yo' were i' these parts. Are you for staying here long?'
There was a certain abruptness in Philip's tone, if not in his words, which made Kinraid look in his face with surprise, and answer with equal curtness.
'I'm off i' th' morning; and sail for the north seas day after.'
He turned away, and began to whistle, as if he did not wish for any further conversation with his interrogator. Philip, indeed, had nothing more to say to him: he had learned all he wanted to know.
'I'd like to bid good-by to Sylvie. Is she at home?' he asked of her father.