CHAPTER XV
Unpopularity
A few days later Mostyn was having an easy time. He was on watch, but with little to do. A notice-board on the promenade-deck furnished the reason for his enforced inactivity:
"S.S. West Barbican. To-day, in radio communication with nil. To-morrow, radio communication expected with nil."
The notice was painted with the exception of the two nils, which were written in chalk. Placed for the convenience of passengers wishing to send off private wireless messages, it duly recorded what ships and shore stations were within radio range. In her present position in the South Atlantic she was too far away to dispatch or pick up messages from Cape Town, the radius of her wireless being limited to 240 miles by day and almost thrice that distance by night.
Peter had overhauled the set, and was taking the opportunity of writing home. With his white patrol-coat unbuttoned and his solar topee perched on the back of his head, he was making the best of things in spite of the terrific heat and the attentions of numerous cockroaches.
There were thousands of these insects all over the ship, ranging in size from an eighth of an inch to nearly three inches in length. Whilst the West Barbican was in home waters their presence was invisible. They kept to the dark and inaccessible parts of the ship; but directly the weather grew warmer, as the ship neared the Tropics, they emerged fearlessly from their lairs and swarmed everywhere. By this time the passengers had grown more or less accustomed to them, but the early stages of the invasion of the living pests of the ship had caused great consternation and indignation, especially on the part of the ladies on board.
In times of boredom, when the passengers were "fed up" with deck-quoits and sweepstakes on the "day's run", the cockroaches would be pressed into service to provide entertainment. A dozen or more would be captured and placed on the deck, each having its own particular "fancier" in a miniature race, and it was surprising to see with what zest the passengers entered into the sport.
Presently Peter heard a light footfall on the deck, followed by a distinct knock upon the wide-open door of the cabin.
Rising, Peter found that Olive Baird was standing outside the brass-rimmed coaming.