“Never mind your clothes, my lad,” he said smiling. “A few pounds will put that right. They are as nothing compared to a human life. Besides, it was not the brand-new uniform in that case.”
I felt the blood come into my cheeks, for he was smiling rather contemptuously.
“I’m not so proud of my uniform as all that,” I said hurriedly.
“Don’t be a humbug, my dear fellow,” he replied quietly. “You would not be natural if you were not proud of it. I was very proud of mine, I know. Stop; what are you going to do?”
“Get up,” I said quickly.
“Nonsense; not yet. What about your clothes?”
“My clothes?”
“Yes; you have no other suit unpacked. I gave your wet things to the steward to get dry.”
“I can soon unpack another suit,” I said, “if—if you will go.”
“Oh, I’ll go, if you like, my lad,” he replied with a smile; “but as we are to be chums through this voyage, we cannot afford to be very particular, especially as the accommodation is so limited. There, I will be your valet now; you shall be mine if I am ill. Here are your keys, purse, and pocket-book. I took everything out of your wet things. There,” he continued, “tell me which is the key, and I will get out clean linen and another suit. Then I’ll tell my servant to see that a bath is prepared; and, by the way, you have no servant yet, I suppose?”