‘You, of course, have something better to do?’ said I to him.
‘I have nothing to do.’
‘Where’s your ship?’
‘I have no ship,’ said he. ‘A barque, called the Arab Chief, is in course of completion at Sunderland. I may command her if I invest in her. I wish to consider. I am not rich, and I must see my way clearly before I venture all that I have.’
‘So you must. And I suppose you’ll go and live at Sunderland?’
‘No. I can do no good at Sunderland. Time enough to go to Sunderland when the ship is ready. She’s not building under my superintendence.’
‘You’ll visit your relatives in the country?’
‘I have relatives, but they don’t live in the country, and I shan’t visit them.’
‘Can’t we arrange for some more trips?’ said Will. ‘Let’s go sight-seeing every day.’
‘Give us a sketch of your fancies, Johnstone,’ said Captain Butler.