Ralph jumped to his feet in amazement.
"Grandfather," he said, with a break in his voice, "you don't mean that you were once little better than a negro-slaver? It can't be true. You're only fooling; now tell the truth, grandpop."
The ashes in the bowl of his pipe seemed to require all of the Captain's attention as he replied, quite meekly,
"Yes, Ralph, it's kinder tough to admit it, but the truth is I was once a member of the crew of the most noted 'coolie packet' in the business."
Seeing the grieved, reproachful look on Ralph's face, the Captain added:
"Of course it may make you think a little better of your grandfather when I tell you that I would not have joined such a vessel willingly, and that I did not know her character until I was on board."
Ralph hurried to his grandfather's side, passed his arm affectionately around the old man's neck, and said, in a relieved way:
"I'm so glad you said that, grandpop, because I wouldn't want to know that my grandfather had ever been a coolie-stealer. And now, after scaring a fellow so badly, the least you can do to make things square is to tell the story in your best style, which you would call 'ship-shape and Bristol fashion.'"
"All right, my boy, I'll do penance in that way; and now to begin:
"I had gone out to China as second mate of the ship White Cloud. She was an old vessel, and in a typhoon that we made acquaintance with had been so badly strained and damaged that we just managed to reach port by keeping all hands at the pumps day and night for more than a week. A board of survey condemned the ship, pronouncing her unfit for further service, so all hands were paid off, and we then cast about for other berths. I was offered several chances to go before the mast, but having been an officer, I disliked to again enter the forecastle. I had considerable money, so held back, waiting for something better to turn up. At last I was told by one of the shipping-masters that a big English vessel had dropped anchor in the harbor to send her second mate to the hospital, as he was suffering with the fever peculiar to that coast, and that I could get the vacant office by applying to the British Consul. I at once made my way to the consulate, saw the Captain of the Irving Castle, hurriedly signed articles to serve as her second officer, and an hour from that time was on board the ship. As soon as I stepped over the rail I saw that she was a 'coolie-runner,' and would have backed out if possible; but it was too late, so I was forced to make the best of a bad bargain.