“Manila, hey? Have a good passage across?”
“Yes, sir. She good ship.”
“Shouldn’t wonder. How d’ye do, sir,” to the young man, who was standing near. “Hope you won’t think I’m crowdin’ in where I don’t belong. I was just tellin’ the doctor here that it had been some time since I trod a quarter-deck, and I thought I’d see if I’d forgot the feel.”
“Have you?” asked the young man, smiling.
“Guess not. Seems kind of nat’ral. I never handled such a whale of a craft as this, though. Didn’t have many of ’em in my day. Come over in her, did you?”
“No,” with a shake of the head. “No such luck. I’m a land lubber, just scouting round, that’s all. She’s a bully vessel, isn’t she?”
“Looks so. Tell you better after I’ve seen what she could do in a full-sail breeze. All hands ashore, Doctor?”
“Yes, sir,” replied the steward.
“Crew paid off and spendin’ their money, I s’pose. Well, if it ain’t against orders, I’d kind of like to look around a little mite. May I?”
The steward merely grinned. His companion answered for him.