The Captain, as his host called him, smiled good-humouredly.
“Your dame will have many a better lodger than I have been, Bob,” said he, fixing his bold eyes on the landlord, which the latter, who never seemed comfortable under an honest man’s gaze, avoided by peering into every corner of the room; “one that will stay longer with you, and entertain more friends than I have done. What of that? The heaviest purse makes the best lodger, and the highest score, the merriest landlord, at every hostelry in Europe. Well, I shall be ready for sea now, when I’ve got my complement; but I’m not going to cruise in the”—here the speaker stopped short and corrected himself—“not going to cruise anywhere, short-handed.”
Bob’s eyes glistened, and he stole a look in the Captain’s face.
“How many would you be wanting?” said he, cautiously, “and where would they have to serve? First-class men is very bad to get hereaway, just now.”
“If I had a gunner, a boatswain’s-mate, and a good captain of the foretop, I’d weigh next tide, and chance it,” replied the other, cheerfully, but his chin fell while his eye rested on the pile of accounts, and he wondered how he could ever comb them into shape for inspection.
Bob thought of the seamen still drinking in his tap-room, and the obviously low state of their finances. It would work he decided, but it must be done under three influences, viz., beer, secrecy, and caution.
“Captain,” said he, shutting the door carefully, “I’d rather do you a turn than any lodger I’ve had yet. If I can help you to a hand or two, I’m the man as’ll do it. You’ll be willing to pay the expenses, I suppose?”
The Captain did not appear totally inexperienced in such matters, for, on asking the amount and receiving for answer a sum that would have purchased all the stock of liquors in the house over and over again, he showed neither indignation nor surprise, but observed quietly—
“Able seamen, of course?”
“Of course!” repeated Bob. “Honour, you know, Captain, honour!” If he had added “among thieves,” he would none the less clearly have expressed the situation. Reflecting for a moment, he approached his guest and whispered in his ear, “For the account?”