"Very well, you can have them," Hal replied, glad to get so good a price.
Next day he was told that the Mohican would sail on Saturday.
"She's one of the intermediate boats," said the clerk. "Of course, she carries very few passengers—some thirty in all. You'd better be aboard on Friday, for she leaves the river early the following day. Good luck to you."
"And many thanks to you," Hal answered. "I'll do my best to fill the place you have obtained for me."
Hal took a cheap ticket to Liverpool, and trudged from the station to the dock in which the Mohican was lying.
Hal picked his way to the wide and slippery gangway, and began to cross it. A notice above an alleyway caught his eye. "Engineers only," it said.
He entered the alleyway, and walked along it till he came to a door on the left, where he knocked.
"Who's there? Come right in," someone cried in a sleepy voice.
Hal entered, and found a big man reclining full length on the settee. He was dressed in an old uniform, and had a handkerchief tied round his neck.
"Wall, what aer it?" he asked. "A feller can't no more get ter sleep upon this hulk than fly. Who aer yer?"