“By George, Jack, I am glad to see you!”
“How well you’re looking, Tom!”
“Why, Jim, is that really your silly old self?”
“Me, and nobody else, lad. How’ve ye been?”
“Been roughing it a trifle. Got driven out of our track a piece, you know. Something smashed and we couldn’t make up our leeway.”
“So glad to see you!”
“Been long here?”
“Three whole blessed weeks. The Elephant behaved splendidly all through, except in a typhoon. A real Indian Oceaner that were, Jack. But we called at Mauritius and got letters.”
“Letters?”
“Ay, lad—letters from home. The last we’ll have for many a long month and year.”