“No, Excellency.”
“Nor when we shall reach our destination?”
“No, Excellency.”
“You have some prisoners aboard?”
“Three drunken sailors, Excellency.”
“Yes, that’s what the Captain said. But if it meant death for a sailor to be drunk, the commerce of the world would speedily stop.”
“This is a government steamer, Excellency, and if a sailor here disobeys orders he is guilty of mutiny. On a merchant vessel they would merely put him in irons.”
“I see. Now do you want to earn a few gold pieces?”
“Excellency has been very generous to me already,” was the non-committal reply of the steward, whose eyes nevertheless twinkled at the mention of gold.
“Well, here’s enough to make a jingle in your pocket, and here are two letters which you are to try to get delivered when you return to St. Petersburg.”