"Then I guess we must have done our work all right," I replied, noncommittal. "What do you——"
"Ben," he interrupted, "why are you married to the sea?"
"I never considered that I was—I have never been blessed or cursed by being married to any one or anything—one has to make a living somehow." It was perfectly dark in the wheel-house with the exception of the tiny hooded light over the compass, and I couldn't see Hiram's face.
"A fireman can become an engineer and stops there?" he surprised me by putting forth a question in just that way. I paused before replying.
"Yes—usually."
"A seaman can become captain, and then his road gets very narrow and steep toward further advancement?" he persisted.
"Yes," I replied, wondering what was on his mind.
"It strikes me a man of your ability is wasting his time at sea—I don't see any future—what about wireless men?"
"They get ninety dollars a month," I replied, amused and still wondering.
"What about telegraphing?" he then asked.