“That you?” shouted the captain, and the personage addressed took his cigar slowly from his lips and emitted a great puff of vapour.
“Yes, skipper,” he said coolly; “it’s me,” and he replaced his cigar.
“What in the name of all that’s wonderful are you doing here?”
“Doing, skipper?” said the American quietly. “Smoking. Precious hot, ain’t it?”
“Hot, sir?” roared the captain; “it’s nothing to what it’s going to be. How dare you? Why, you’re a stowaway!”
“Am I, skipper? Well, do you know,” said the American, in the most imperturbable way, “I thought I was a lump of human fat melting slowly away and running out on to your deck.”
“How did you get here?”
“How did I get here? Why, two of your men brought me aboard last night in your boat.”
“Well, of all the impudence!”
“Now, now, now, skipper, don’t get in a wax. Just act like a man, and order me a drink, half water, half lime-juice, for my throat feels as if it had been sanded with hot sand.”