"I'm not going till I see Madge," said Gregory.
Horble began to tremble.
"It's for Madge to decide," added Gregory.
"Decide what?" demanded Horble in a husky stutter.
"Between you and me, old fellow," said Gregory.
"And you've the gall to say that on my ship, at my table, about my wife!" exclaimed Horble, punctuating the sentence with the possessive.
"Yes," said Gregory.
Horble sat awhile silent. He was obviously turning the matter over in his head. He said at last he would go on deck and take another look to windward.
"There's a power of dirt to windward!" he said.
Gregory, left to himself, edged closer against the bulkhead. He felt that something was about to happen, and he was in the sort of humor to never mind what. It did not even worry him to think he was unarmed.