“Well, we’ll talk about that another time,” said Uncle Paul. “What I want is for you to help me by going over with us to have a look at the schooner.”
“Ah!” said the skipper.
“And you may as well give me a reference or two to somebody who knows your abilities—somebody well-known in Plymouth, a ship-owner, somebody for whom you have sailed. Will you do this?”
“Ay,” said the skipper.
“Well, whose name will you give me? To whom shall I apply?”
“Anybody. Everybody in Plymouth.”
“That’s rather wide,” said Uncle Paul.
“Wider the better,” said the skipper. “You ask the lot what they thinks of Captain Chubb.”
As he spoke the skipper rose and put on his cap, but took it off again quickly.
“Time to-morrow will you be ready to start?” he said.