“Ah, gentlemen, then you are English?”
“Rather!” said Mark. “Are you hard up in this sleepy place?”
“Yes, sir—no, sir,” cried the man hastily.
“What is it, then? Do you want a job?” And Mark drew out a shilling.
“Yes, sir; badly, sir.”
“Well, have you got a boat?”
“No, sir; I wish I had. No, sir; thank you, sir. I did not mean that;” and the man thrust his hands deeply into his pockets, while Mark thrust his out of sight as well, shilling and all, and somehow his cheeks felt a little hotter than before, as he felt that he had made a mistake.
“I thought you wanted to take us for a row.”
“Oh no, sir.”
“Then what are you doing here in this out-of-the-way place?”