As for Mr Meldrum—who had remained below from the consciousness that he could not be of any service in the immediate present on deck and from an unwillingness to having the appearance even of shoving himself forward and interfering with the management of the ship after what Captain Dinks had said—he had tumbled out a portmanteau in his state-room in order to overhaul some old papers; and he presently came out into the cuddy with a chart in his hand.
“Hillo, mister,” said the American as soon as he noticed him, “jest roused up, hey? I thought you wer havin’ a bit of snooze, and wondered when you were goin’ to turn out!”
“Ah,” said Mr Meldrum gravely, “it’s no time for sleeping now for any one on board. The ship is in far too perilous a position for that!”
“Is she?” asked Mr Lathrope, most unconcernedly apparently.
“She really is,” replied Mr Meldrum.
“Wa-al, if she is,” returned the other, lifting a huge morsel of ham on the end of his fork, and surveying it critically with much relish of eye before placing it in his capacious mouth, “why, it’s a bad business, that’s all I ken say; and I’m right down sorry fur it, I am—things was going on so slick and pleasant! But if we can’t help it, mister, what’s the sorter use in grievin’? I don’t see the good in cryin’ over a spilt petroleum can, I don’t! Now, dew, mister, draw up har and make yourself comf’able; you’ll find this bacon prime, for I knows it’s the gen-u-ine Chicago brand and came out of the States.”
“No, thanks,” said Mr Meldrum, smiling at the other’s imperturbable philosophy and epicureanism that seemed proof against everything, even the sense of mortal peril, “I had something to eat earlier, and do not care about anything now.”
At that moment, Captain Dinks came down the companion and looked into the saloon, when, seeing Mr Meldrum, he beckoned to him.
“Would you mind coming on deck for a few moments,” said he hurriedly, “I want to speak to you about something?”
“Certainly,” said Mr Meldrum, at once getting up from the table, on which he had spread out the chart he had brought from his cabin and was engaged with a pair of compasses in picking out the ship’s possible position.