“For the land sakes! Laban Ginn!” repeated Daniel.
Mr. Ginn grinned cheerfully. He was six feet tall, or thereabouts, and more than half as wide. His hair and beard were grayish red and his face reddish brown. He was dressed in the regulation “shore togs” of a deep sea sailor, blue double-breasted jacket, blue trousers and waistcoat, white “biled” shirt, low collar—celluloid, by the look—and a “made” bow tie which hung from the button by a worn loop of elastic. His hands were as red as his face and of a size proportionate to the rest of him. He seized the captain's hand in one of his, crushed it to a pulp, and returned the remains to the chief mourner.
“Well, say,” he cried, his grin widening, “that feels natural, don't it? Last time you and me shook hands was over three years ago. How are you? Blessed if it ain't good to see you again.”
Captain Dan was slowly regaining his equilibrium.
“Same to you, Labe,” he returned heartily. “But—but, by Godfreys, you're the last person I expected to see just now.”
“Yep, I shouldn't wonder.”
“Sit down, sit down. Humph! Does Azuba know you're comin'?”
“No, not yet.”
“Well, sit down and I'll call her. She's here with us, of course.”
“Sartin she is. Where else would she be? I knew she was here; heard you hailin' her just as I made port at the back door. Set down?” He threw himself into a chair, which groaned under the pressure. “Sure, I'll set down! Feels kind of good to drop anchor when you've been cruisin's long as I have. No, Zuby don't know I'm comin'. Last time I wrote her was from Mauritius. I've been to clink and gone since. She WILL be surprised, won't she? Ho! ho! Did I leave the hatch open? Here, let me shut it.”