He smiled, and answered: ‘Mere heat. One doesn’t need many months on the West African coast to grow used to that sort of aspects. They suggest nothing but quinine to me.’
‘What time is it?’ said Colledge.
We pulled out our watches: it was half-past four.
‘I am sorry we are returning to the Indiaman,’ said he. ‘I should like to get away from her for a little while; then one would find something of freshness in her when one returned. I am not thirsting to meet Mr. Johnson and Mr. Emmett and Mr. Greenhew again. Are you, Miss Temple?’
She slightly smiled, and said, ‘I wish Bombay were as near to us as the Magicienne is to the Indiaman.’
‘I have an idea!’ cried Colledge, whose shining eyes, methought, seemed to suggest the influence of the last large bumper of sherry he had tossed down before leaving the corvette. ‘Let us kill another hour by boarding the wreck.’
‘I shall be very pleased to put the boat alongside,’ said the lieutenant. ‘What do you say, Miss Temple?’
She looked at the Indiaman, and then sent a swift glance at me, as though she would read my face without having me know she had peeped at it.
‘Will there be time before it falls dark?’ she answered. ‘I am in no hurry to return; but I do not want to make my aunt miserable by remaining out upon the water until after sunset.’
‘Oh, we have abundance of time,’ said the lieutenant.