I wrote and told Marshall this, but he had conceived an inveterate prejudice against Welfare.
We were now in the beginning of April, with the spring coming in like a flood-tide and all was ready for our start. Mr. Snape was coming to be introduced to the parish, and a boyish feeling of emancipation and excitement was making me feel rather absurd to myself.
I wanted to go with them to Tilbury, so as to have as much sailing as possible, but it appeared that there were objections to this. They agreed that the Astarte would want a lot of furbishing up before she was ready to receive a guest.
“I want you to see her at her best,” Edmund said.
It was almost the first time he had spoken cordially about my going at all, so I readily gave up the point.
“What about Newhaven? It’s the nearest port,” I said.
“Oh, Newhaven or Dover would be all right,” said Edmund.
“I’ll tell you what,” said Captain Welfare. “I’ve been looking at the beach down below here. It’s a nice handy cove for landing, and there’s soundings enough for the Astarte up to within a quarter mile of the shore. Why not let us lie to and take you off right here? We’d save time and harbour dues, and economy’s the motto for the Astarte.”
“That’s an A1 idea, Welfare,” said Edmund.
It appealed to me too in my new-born spring mood of adventure. I agreed at once.