e the key of
which had been mislaid for a week as I remembered. But neither was I
much concerned. The idea that I was absolutely going to sea at six
o'clock next morning hadn't got quite into my head yet. It had been too
sudden.

"Mr Powell, slipping the Articles into a long envelope, spoke up with a
sort of cold half-laugh without looking at either of us.

"`Mind you don't disgrace the name, Charles.'

"And the skipper chimes in very kindly:--

"`He'll do well enough I dare say. I'll look after him a bit.'

"Upon this he grabs the Articles, says something about trying to run in
for a minute to see that poor devil in the hospital, and off he goes
with his heavy swinging step after telling me sternly: `Don't you go
like that poor fellow and get yourself run over by a cart as if you
hadn't either eyes or ears.'

"`Mr Powell,' says I timidly (there was by then only the thin-necked
man left in the office with us and he was already by the door, standing
on one leg to turn the bottom of his trousers up before going away).
`Mr Powell,' says I, `I believe the Captain of the _Ferndale_ was
thinking all the time that I was a relation of yours.'

"I was rather concerned about the propriety of it, you know, but Mr
Powell didn't seem to be in the least.

"`Did he?' says he. `That's funny, because it seems to me too that I've
been a sort of good uncle to several of you young fellows lately. Don't
you think so yourself? However, if you don't like it you may put him
right--when you get out to sea.' At this I felt a bit queer. Mr
Powell had rendered me a very good service:--because it's a fact that
with us merchant sailors the first voyage as officer is the real start
in life. He had given me no less than that. I told him warmly that he
had done for me more that day than all my relations put together ever
did.

"`Oh, no, no,' says he. `I guess it's that shipment of explosives
waiting down the river which has done most for you. Forty tons of
dynamite have been your best friend to-day, young man.'

"That was true too, perhaps. Anyway I saw clearly enough that I had
nothing to thank myself for. But as I tried to thank him, he checked my
stammering.

"`Don't be in a hurry to thank me,' says he. `The voyage isn't finished
yet.'

"Our new acquaintance paused, then added meditatively: `Queer man. As
if it made any difference. Queer man.'"

"It's certainly unwise to admit any sort of responsibility for our
ac