“No: it is not a letter,” replied Tom Speers very indifferently.
“Not a letter? isn’t it in an envelope?” demanded O’Hara, more interested in the matter than the owner of the document.
“It is a telegraph despatch, which was brought to me just as all hands were piped to muster this morning.”
“I hope none of your friends are sick or dead,” added the lieutenant, with a show of sympathy.
“I have no near friends to die or be sick.”
“Who sends you the despatch, then?”
“I don’t know: I haven’t opened it yet.”
“You haven’t? What is the telegraph for but to hurry up things? and you haven’t opened the envelope yet!” exclaimed the impulsive young Irishman.
“I will open it now,” said Tom, as he broke the seal.
“Faix, you are mighty cool about it,” laughed O’Hara. “Where is it from?”