"I have not seen him," she answered.
He stepped to the door and called, and then came to his chair and seated himself, not offering to speak till Prins arrived.
"Get the supper," said he. "Mix a bowl of brandy punch. My limbs ache. I have stood too long."
Encouraged to address him by his breaking the silence, I said, "Mynheer Vanderdecken, may I ask if it is your intention to careen to-night?"
He looked at me sullenly and with a frown, and said: "Why do you inquire?"
"That I may crave a favour, sir. My cabin is close to the pump; the clattering of that engine is extremely disturbing, and therefore I would ask your permission to use this bench for a bed to-night if you do not intend to careen to the leak, and so render further pumping unnecessary."
He considered awhile, eyeing me sternly; but it was not conceivable that he should find any other than the surface-meaning in this request.
He answered: "I do not intend to careen; the weather hath every promise of continued fairness; the men shall have their night's rest; they will work the more briskly for it to-morrow. As the pump must be kept going, your request is reasonable. You can use this cabin, and Prins shall give you one of my cloaks to soften your couch."
I made him a low grateful bow, secretly accepting his civility, however, as does a man condemned to death the attentions of a gaoler or the tenderness of the hangman.