“Vell, you are velcome py der Fair Vind. Py der inside you findt plendy of your shibmades from der Manhaddan. Dey are fine fellows, all off dem.”
“Yes, they are fine fellows,” thought Ned to himself, but aloud he rejoined:
“Thank you; where will I find them?”
“In der back room, my heardy. Budt say,” the walrus-like man’s eyes narrowed and he looked at Ned searchingly, “you don’t seem like der sort dot comes py me place regular.”
“No, it’s my first cruise,” rejoined Ned.
But the other was more used to sailors and navy usages than Ned had bargained for.
“Your first cruise?” he grunted with growing suspicion. “Vot you do py uniform uv cunner’s-made, den?”
“I mean it’s my first cruise to the coast,” rejoined Ned, inwardly adding, “I’ll have to be careful. This place is every bit as bad as the fellow from the New Hampshire said it was, and the proprietor is as fine a specimen of a land-shark as you’d meet with in many a long day’s cruise.”
The proprietor’s suspicions were apparently lulled by Ned’s straightforward manner.
“Go righd aheadt, mein poy,” he said paternally and waved his fat, pudgy hand toward a door in the rear of the dingy front office.