‘But were you not acquainted with these men’s characters at the time of their signing articles?’ said I.
‘No, young man—no,’ he answered with a most melancholy shake of the head; ‘it’s all come out since, and a deal more atop of it. But hush! Discretion is the better part of valour, as Jack says. There’s no call to be afraid. They know the man I am, and what’s better, they know I know them. Ye’re quite safe, mem; only, don’t be a-tempting sailors of their sort by a sight of the valleyables you’ve been a-carrying about with you. And now, perhaps you’ll excuse me whilst I goes and looks after the ship.’
He gave us another extraordinary bow—I never met with any posture-maker who approached this man in the capacity of distorting his person—and walked out of the cabin.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE CREW OF THE BARQUE
Miss Temple released my arm and sank upon a bench.
‘Can you doubt now that he is mad?’ she exclaimed.
‘Somewhat eccentric, certainly, but perhaps not mad, though. He is treating us very kindly. How intelligently he instructed his man in regard to our cabins!’
‘He may be kind; but I believe we should have been safer on the hull than here.’