“Of course; and if you didn’t like me, and I warn’t up to my work, why, you could get rid of me. But that’s a very different thing to buying a ship.”
“Yes,” said Uncle Paul, “but what about the ship-builder? Is he an honest man?”
“Oh yes, I think so.”
“Couldn’t he give good references?”
“Well, yes. Old established; built a lot of craft. Dessay he’d find a few to say a word for him.”
“And I suppose I could have the opinion of some well-known ship valuer?”
“Yes,” grunted the skipper, “but he’s only in trade. You want to know what some old sailor says.”
“Such as you,” cried Rodd.
The skipper looked at the boy and smiled.
“Well, mebbe,” he said, “but I don’t want the job.”