"Fishing."
"That's a lie. You are neither a fisherman nor a sailor."
I hung my head.
"Yes, you may hang your head, my lad, for you are not what you seem."
Again in a clumsy way I repeated the duties of both, but the captain would not listen.
"Yes, yes, my young gentleman, you may know about these things as well as I do, but that don't deceive me. You were never brought up to work, you weren't; but you are a strong likely chap for all that."
I tried again to assure him that I could do a sailor's work well.
"Now, look here, young man," he said, "I'm an oldish chap, and have seen a bit of the world, and have learnt to read a little of men and things, and although you are not what you want to pass off to be I like your looks. What you mean by being here I don't know; but that's not my business, and I do want a likely young fellow like you. Answer me square and fair. Are you seeking to get on this vessel because you've done anything wrong, are you in fear of anybody or anything, and is anybody after you now?"
I liked his plain question, and I answered plainly.
"I have done nothing wrong, sir," I said; "I am not afraid of anything or anybody, and no one is after me now."