Hornblower met his gaze with a level glance.
“No,” he said, and smiled.
“It certainly looked like matters of importance,” said Smith.
“That depends on the definition,” answered Hornblower.
He was still smiling, and his smile gave no clue at all regarding his thoughts. It would be rude to press him further; it was possible that he and Buckland had been discussing some private business. Nobody looking at him could guess.
“Come off those hammocks, there!” bellowed Hornblower; the skylarking midshipmen were not breaking one of the rules of the ship, but it was a convenient moment to divert the conversation.
Three bells rang out; the first dogwatch was threequarters completed.
“Mr. Roberts, sir!” suddenly called the sentry at the smokers’ slow match by the hatchway. “Passing the word for Mr. Roberts!”
Roberts turned from the group.
“Who’s passing the word for me?” he asked, although with the captain ill there could only be one man in the ship who could pass the word for the second lieutenant.