“Is it possible?” exclaimed the captain, half out loud, as the man walked off with a tolerably steady step. “He says he’s not drunk after taking all that stuff aboard. Jacob, you seem as if you knew something of him.”
“Ay, captain,” said Jacob, who had slunk behind the captain when he saw the man. “I do, for sure; but you must excuse my telling you who he is, or where he comes from.”
“He’s not a good friend or companion for any one, I should think,” said the captain.
“He’s no friend of mine,” answered Jacob; “he’s too fond of the drink. And yet he’s called to be a sober man by many, ’cos he brings some of his wage home on the pay-night. Yet I’ve heard him say myself how he’s often spent a sovereign in drink between Saturday night and Monday morning.”
“And what do you suppose has brought him here?”
“I can’t tell, unless the mayster he works for has sent him over on count of summat. It’s more like, however, as he’s come to see his sister as lives somewhere in these parts.”
“And you’d rather he didn’t know you are here, I suppose?”
“Just so, captain. There’s them, perhaps, as’d be arter me if he were to tell ’em as he’d see’d me here; but I don’t think as he did see me; he were half fuddled: but he never gets fairly drunk.”
“Well, Jacob, I don’t wish to pry into your own private concerns. I’ll take it for granted that you’re dealing honestly by me.”
“You may be sure of that, captain. I’ll never deceive you. I haven’t done anything to disgrace myself; but I wish to get gradely out of the reach of such chaps as yon fellow you’ve just spoke to. I’ve had weary work with the drink, and I wishes to make a fresh start, and to forget as I ever had any belonging me. So it’s just what’ll suit me gradely to go with you over to Australia; and you must excuse me if I make mistakes at first; but I’ll do my best, and I can’t say anything beyond that.”