On a sudden he looked up at a little timepiece that was ticking against a beam just over his head.
'Have you any acquaintance with the sea, Mr. Tregarthen?' he asked.
'Merely a boating acquaintance,' I replied.
'Can you stand a watch?'
'I could keep a look-out,' said I, a little dismayed by these questions, 'but I am utterly ignorant of the handling of a ship.'
He looked reflectively at Helga, then at me, pulling down first one whisker, then the other, while his thick lips lay broad in a smile under his long hooked nose.
'Oh, well' said he, 'Abraham Wise will do.' He went to the cuddy door and called 'Forward there!'
'Yaas, sah,' came a thick Africander-like note out of the forecastle obscurity.
'Ask Abraham Wise to step aft.'
He resumed his seat, and in a few minutes Abraham arrived. Helga instantly rose and gave him her hand with a sweet cordial smile that was full of her gratification at the sight of him. For my part, it did my heart good to see him. After the tallowy countenance and odd talk of the Captain and the primrose complexions and scowling glances of his Malays, there was real refreshment to the spirits to be got out of the homely English face and English 'longshore garb of the boatman, with the man's suggestions, besides, of the English Channel and of home.