By-and-by he began to talk about his new boat again.
‘In another month she ought to be ready for trials,’ he said enthusiastically. ‘Hope you’ll come and see how she behaves.’
‘I’d like to, but how about you? How will you feel the first time you go down again?’
My host grinned.
‘Can’t say, I’m sure, but if you come, and mind you’ve got to, I’ll let you know at the time, that is if you remind me, and I’m not too busy with contractors’ people and dockyard officials and so on, which I expect I shall be. Some of those dockyard people are blighters, you can’t get half you want out of them.’
‘I’ve noticed that,’ I answered. ‘Engineer-Commanders are hard drivers of bargains sometimes.’
‘Hard drivers! Why I could tell you stories; but no, there isn’t time. I’ve got a long day’s work to-morrow, so I’ll turn in early. See you before you leave?’
He rose to go.
‘One moment,’ I said, ‘before bed, may I read what you’ve written on this card?’
‘Good Heavens, yes,’ he laughed. ‘Good-night.’