“Twenty-three, besides the gentry, the owner, his wife and a Spanish gentleman—a friend they picked up in Manila.”
“So you were coming from Manila?”
“Aye. Bound for Batavia. The owner wishes to study the Dutch colonial system. Wants to expose it, he says. One can't help hearing a lot when keeping watch aft—you know how it is. Then we are going to Ceylon to meet the mail-boat there. The owner is going home as he came out, overland through Egypt. The yacht would return round the Cape, of course.”
“A lady?” said Lingard. “You say there is a lady on board. Are you armed?”
“Not much,” replied Carter, negligently. “There are a few muskets and two sporting guns aft; that's about all—I fancy it's too much, or not enough,” he added with a faint smile.
Lingard looked at him narrowly.
“Did you come out from home in that craft?” he asked.
“Not I! I am not one of them regular yacht hands. I came out of the hospital in Hongkong. I've been two years on the China coast.”
He stopped, then added in an explanatory murmur:
“Opium clippers—you know. Nothing of brass buttons about me. My ship left me behind, and I was in want of work. I took this job but I didn't want to go home particularly. It's slow work after sailing with old Robinson in the Ly-e-moon. That was my ship. Heard of her, Captain?”