She was heavily loaded, all right, and I wondered at the old man's conduct the more. The idea of him forgetting himself at the last minute! It was too much. And with a mate like Slade—Slade, who had sailed in several ships with me, the best mate I had known for many a year. We drew alongside.
"Lower down the side ladder—the skipper's coming up," I sang out, and a head came to the high rail. It was the mate's.
"Christopher Columbus! How'd this happen?" asked Slade. "And how—how'd you turn up? I'm glad to see you, old man—pass him up—look out he don't fall overboard."
We managed to get the skipper on deck, and then below to his bunk, Slade questioning me all the time, and asking about times gone by. Then, after we had the old man safely stowed, we came on deck together, and Slade told me the trouble.
"Bound out for Guam with cargo and fifty coolies—Chinks—for labor there. We got a passenger's license, and take out several first class to Manila, besides. Loaded down with general cargo, and two safes full of silver for circulation at Agaña—about ten thousand dollars."
"Well, what's the trouble?" I asked.
"The old man don't like the coolie idea," Slade went on. "He hates Chinks. We got all loaded up, and then the owners sent word that we must provide quarters for fifty men—Chinamen, too, at that—and the old man threw a fit. He'd have quit the ship, but he's bought into her, and can't do it. We had to clear out the alleyways under the poop, knock ports in the sides, and build up a line of shelves for 'em to sleep on—twenty-five on a side, and right next the after saloon—-couldn't get them below—see the doors we cut in the bulkhead? Lets 'em out on deck. It's a government contract, and it's good pay, all right—but them dirty coolies! It's a shame to make an old fellow like Gantline carry them—he hates' em so."
"Who's second under you?" I asked.
"Nobody—thought you'd come for it. Isn't that what you're here for?"
"Not that I know of," I answered. "But I'll take it if the old man says so, all right, all right. I've been ashore long enough—broke, too."