"What are you driving at?" he demanded. "What have my private affairs to do with you?"
"Don't flare up, matey," responded the other. "I'm comin' to the p'int, steerin' a safe course meantime. 'Keep an eye on your charts, boatswain,' says the skipper, 'and look out for shoals among them land-sharks.' So I'm doin' it. Of course, knowing the inside of the country pretty well, comin' from Wisconsin way like I do, I'm able to navigate better'n the others would be; but just the same, I'm mindin' my wheel mighty close. 'No steerin' by the wind this cruise,' says the skipper, and right he was."
This was all Greek to Tom Dennis.
"Well, what do you want with me?" he reiterated.
"You answer my question, matey," returned the other calmly.
"None of your business, then," snapped Dennis.
To his surprise, Ericksen only chuckled good-humouredly, and slapped his knee as though at a good joke.
"I knowed it! You are, right enough. Goin' to Chicago to get spliced, maybe?"
The hand of Dennis closed on a printer's key, but Ericksen interposed.
"Here, don't start no rumpus, matey! You see, I got to know the chart before I can lay my course. Ain't that reasonable? I got to this here town this afternoon, lookin' for Miss Hathaway, and first one, then another, tells me she's gone to Chicago, but they don't know exactly where. They said to come here an' find you, you bein' supposed to know for private reasons. Ain't that statin' it plain and unoffensive? That's me every time. 'Mind your jaw-tackle, boatswain,' says the skipper. 'Be mild an' gentle.' And I am."