“None at all, sir, only we shall soon be full up; they’ve bent on a new mains’l and fores’l; we’ve been a-painting of her streak to-day, and she do look lovely, and no mistake. But here’s a letter I was to give you, sir.”
The man evidently had a letter somewhere, from the confident way in which he began to search for it, looking in his cap, then feeling about in his loose blue jumper, and ending with his trousers’ pockets.
“Well,” said Captain Strong sharply, “where’s the letter?”
“Ah! wheer is it?” muttered the man, stroking himself down the sleeves, the chest, and the back. “I had that theer letter somewheres, but it seems to be gone.”
“Did you leave it aboard?”
“No, sir, I didn’t leave it aboard; I’m sure of that. It’s somewheres about me.”
“Hang it, man! have you felt in all your pockets?”
“Ain’t got but two, sir, and I feeled in both o’ them. Think o’ that, now, arter Mr Gregory saying as I was to be werry careful o’ that letter!”
“So careful that you’ve lost it,” cried Captain Strong. “Bill Widgeon, you’re about the biggest blockhead in the crew.”
“Well, I dunno about that, sir; I may be a blockhead, but I arn’t lost the letter.”