But the silence forward was so deep that Vanderholt, hearkening with his forefinger pressed upon his bowl of unlighted tobacco, thought it ominous. At intervals somebody away in the bows would speak. The voice was a growl, and it would be answered by a growl, and it seemed to the owner of the Mowbray that, whoever it might be that broke the silence in his little ship, made utterance with the throat of a sleeping mastiff.
Mr. Vanderholt lighted his pipe, seated himself, and called to Captain Glew, who immediately crossed the deck.
'The men seem very quiet, Glew.'
'And a good job too, sir. This is a yacht, and we've got a lady aboard.'
'Ay, ay, man, that's so. But, yacht or no yacht, lady or no lady, surely I'm the last man to be opposed to a little harmless dog-watch jollity whenever my sailors have a mind to it.'
The man at the helm was not far off, and Vanderholt spoke low.
'They're a crew that want keeping under,' said Captain Glew. 'They're not used to pleasure-sailing of this sort. I singled them out myself, and had good hopes of them, and there's no fault to be found with them as seamen. This light cruising job is fast spoiling them. They need the heavy work of a full-rigged ship.'
'If they find the job an easy one, then I suppose they're satisfied?' said Mr. Vanderholt.
'I'm very much afraid that there's no kind treatment, and no easy job under the sun, that's going to satisfy an English sailor,' said Captain Glew.