“Hello, cap,” said Garvin in a low voice, and I could see in spite of his bandages that he winked. “How’s tricks?”
Brack smiled.
“All right, Garvin. How are you coming on?”
“Oh, I’m all right.” Garvin stepped to one side. “Little thing like that don’t bother me.”
“Good!” Brack actually patted him on the shoulder. “You’re the kind of man I want. I suppose you’ve taken worse beatings than that when it’s paid you to throw a fight?”
“——! That wasn’t even a knock-out. Just a little hot water. I’d take more’n that to be let in on a job like this.”
“That’s the way to talk,” said the captain heartily. “And this will bring you more than any fight you ever won or lost.”
That was all. They passed on, Brack toward the aft, Garvin toward the bow.
I looked at Pierce. He shivered slightly.
“I feel cold,” he whispered.