Jack liked Antwerp, with its fine buildings and picture galleries. But he found that along the docks were all manner of tough resorts where the worst class of sailors spent their time while in port.
He was passing one of these places one day when a man, whom he recognized as one of the engineers of the Ajax, approached him.
“Hullo, youngster,” he said, “come inside and have something. I want to talk to you.”
Jack shook his head.
“I don’t go into places of that sort and I don’t smoke or drink.”
The man looked at him and then burst into a roar of laughter. “You’ll not get very far at sea then,” he said.
“That’s just where I differ with you,” said Jack, and was passing on when the man seized his arm.
“Well, forget it,” he said. “See here, you’re a pretty smart sort of lad and I can put you in the way of making some money.”
“What sort of money?” asked Jack.
“Well, about the hardest part of your job will be to keep your mouth shut.”