“That brass rail. I placed my hand upon it—regularly burned me.”
“Mem for you, old chap—don’t do it again. But, I say, what is the good of our hanging about here? We shall do no good, and it’s completely spoiling the skipper’s temper.”
“Nonsense! Can’t be done.”
“Oh, can’t it, Ricardo!”
“There you go again.”
“Pardon, mon ami! Forgot myself. Plain Richard—there. But that’s wrong. One can’t call you plain Richard, because you’re such a good-looking chap.”
“Bah!” in a deep angry growl.
“What’s that wrong too? Oh, what an unlucky beggar I am! But I say, didn’t you see the skipper?”
“I saw him, of course. But what about him? I saw nothing particular.”
“Old Anderson went up to him as politely as a first lieutenant could—”