eight. He frowned. He was no snob,
but he had most explicit views about a ship's officer's relations with
the rest of mankind. It was, in his opinion, _infra dig_ to associate
with a steward. He had mentioned it pointedly yet good-humouredly one
day, and at his amazement Mr. Spokesly had replied that he would please
himself in a private matter. Captain Meredith had been so flabbergasted
at this wholly unexpected turn of the conversation that he said no more.
Later he put it down to swelled head. Yet what else could be done? Mr.
Spokesly had a master's certificate and the third mate had none at all.
Captain Meredith began to muse regretfully upon the loss of his chief
officer. For although Mr. Spokesly had omitted to mention it, the
immediate cause of his promotion was the sudden death at sea of his
predecessor. That gnarled and taciturn being, whose round moon-face had
relapsed with age to the consistency of puckered pink parchment, had
been for many years "taking care of himself." In that remote epoch when
he was young it may be doubted whether he had done this, for he bore the
marks of a life lived to the very delirious verge. That was long before
Mr. Spokesly had got into short pants, however. Mr. McGinnis took care
of himself day and night. He had achieved a miraculous balance of forces
within his frame, a balance which enabled him to stand his watch on the
bridge and give orders to the bo'sun, but no more. He would pass with a
stealthy quietness along the deck and into his room, and there sit, his
claw-like hands on the arms of his chair, his emaciated form encased in
a diamond-patterned kimono, his pink jaws working noiselessly on a piece
of some patent chewing gum, of which he carried a stock. Sometimes he
read a page or two of a quiet story, but usually he switched off the
electric and sat chewing far into the night. At a quarter to four one
morning, the Asiatic sailor who came to arouse him discovered him
hanging by his arms to the edge of his bunk, as though crucified, his
appallingly thin limbs sprawling and exposing tattooings of astonishing
design and colouring, his jaw hanging, his sunken eyes staring with
senseless curiosity at a spot on the carpet. The Japanese sailor went
back to Mr. Spokesly, who was on watch on the bridge, and reported
impassively, "Chief mate all same one stiff." Mr. Spokesly was
incredulous, though he knew from experience the uncanny prescience of
the Oriental in such matters. "What?