Stranleigh returned to the cabin, where he found the captain sitting, staring into vacancy. Some one had lit an odorous oil lamp.
“Well, captain, before answering your question, I wish to say that I am interested in mercantile traffic aside from my ownership of the Rajah. Before I left England I reserved for you the berth of captain on a new steamer called the Wychwood, twice the size of this boat, that is intended for the South American trade. I think she will be ready for you by the time we reach Plymouth, and the moment we are in Plymouth I shall hand you a check for a thousand pounds to secure that bit of land by Southampton water. What sort of a crew have you aboard here? A mutinous lot, or easy going?”
“Oh, the crew’s all right, earl. They’re Devon men, most of them. It was a rough lot of passengers we took out under charge of Frowning-shield, but they herded most by themselves, and held no truck with the crew. The crew’s all right, sir.”
“Do you think any of the crew knew what was going on?”
“No, I don’t suppose anybody knew what was going on but me and Frowningshield.”
“Would you like to have your present crew with you on the new steamer?”
“Yes, sir, I would.”
“Officers, too?”
“Yes, I would. Officers, too.”
“Very well, I want you to come aboard my yacht, and be captain of her from here to Plymouth. Take the mate with you, if you like, or any of the other officers, and take such of the crew as are not Devon men. I’ll put some of my own fellows aboard in their place.”