"Will it be a long job, sir?" asked Lymore.
"I think not. One blessing, the sea's fairly calm and the passengers don't appear to be unduly anxious. There is now no necessity to send a call for assistance. You might go to the wireless-room, Mr. Aubyn, and tell the operator to inform our agents that the repairs are well in hand, and that we hope to arrive at Las Palmas by daybreak to-morrow."
Terence Aubyn saluted and hurried off. Keen on his work he realized the desirability of executing all orders "at the double." Alacrity afloat, he knew, is a sure password for success, and already he had the reputation of being a smart young officer.
He was barely twenty-two years of age, tall, slimly built yet well-proportioned. His complexion was normally fresh, but constant exposure to a tropical sun and the stinging salt spray of the Atlantic had tanned his skin to a rich deep red. His dark brown hair, in spite of being closely cut, showed a decided tendency to wave. His eyes were rather deep set and of a greyish hue, and were surrounded by a pair of regularly curved eyebrows. The depth of his forehead indicated a sound judgment, while his powerful square jaw betokened a firmness almost bordering on obstinacy.
Terence Aubyn had from his earliest days a strong and passionate love of the sea. He came of an old naval family. For generations back the Aubyns had served their sovereign worthily as officers in the Royal Navy, and Terence fondly hoped to tread the quarter deck of a British battleship as a fully commissioned naval officer.
But hitherto the fates had not been kind to the lad.
While he was still a lieutenant Terence's father had to retire, owing to ill-health. His disability pension was absolutely insufficient for him to hope to send his son to Osborne. Two years later Mr. Aubyn died, leaving Terence, then a promising youth of fourteen, to make his own way in the world.
The lad had plenty of grit. He was determined to go to sea, although the immediate prospect of service under the White Ensign seemed to be very remote. There was a way—the hitherto somewhat despised "back door" method via the Red and Blue ensigns; and although he could not hope to be anything more than a Royal Naval Reserve officer, the chance of serving as such in a British man-of-war slowly but surely changed from a shadow to a substance.
So Terence offered himself at the "Red Band" Line offices as an apprentice and was accepted. Perhaps it was a mistake. It might have been better for him to have served part of his apprenticeship in a sailing vessel. Be that as it may his application and activity gained him the good opinion of the various masters under whom he served, and with flying colours he obtained his Mate's and First Mate's certificates.
Two years later, having secured his "Master's Ticket," he was appointed to SS. "Saraband." The way was now clear for him to apply for a sub-lieutenancy in the Royal Naval Reserve, for, although only fourth officer, the ship exceeded 5000 tons; otherwise he would have to wait until he was advanced another grade in mercantile rank. At the end of the present voyage he hoped to put in his first twenty-eight days training on board a battleship or cruiser.