Inwardly he groaned for the arrival of Jack. This was a task he felt himself unable to deal with. Had the emergency called simply for physical powers or for manual dexterity, the chances were large that he could rise to the occasion; but in a pass where the demand was for mental adroitness and nimble wits, Jerry knew the captain to be infinitely his superior. He determined to devote himself to gaining time, and to refrain from committing himself until his comrade should come aboard.
Jerry escorted the burly guest to the cabin without further speech, and turned to ask him to be seated. The visitor at once drew over his jovial face like a veil a serious expression, and regarded Taberman with the greatest gravity. Unbuttoning the top of his serge jacket, he thrust his hand into an inner pocket as if it were a dip-net, and brought it up again full of dismally official-looking documents.
"This is bad business, sir," he remarked, eyeing the mate as if to be sure he was producing a proper impression.
"Eh?" ejaculated Jerry, trying to look like consolidated innocence.
"P'haps you'll be so good's to look these through, sir," the Englishman went on, proffering his batch of papers.
"Are they for me or the captain?" asked Taberman, fencing to gain time.
"Why, as to that," the official replied, "I expect what they contain's ekally to your int'rest and 'is."
"Sit down, please," Jerry said, with a confused wave of the hand, which seemed to invite the visitor to occupy all the seats in the cabin at once. "You may be right, but I shouldn't want to look any important papers over until the captain'd seen them."
"Oh, that don't matter," the other said easily, as he settled himself in a chair. "I don't think you 'ave any cause to mind, sir. You represent 'im aboard."
"Yes," Jerry returned, obstinately determined that nothing should make him go through the papers without Jack; "but if you're not too much pressed for time, I'd much rather wait for the captain. He'll be here presently."