rls for him to kiss--seeing that they are all
Mohammedans, and wear a veil. And as for going round with that
photography box of his, I wonder he hasn't more pride. I don't like to
see a smart young fellow like him, that's got his master's ticket all
new and ready in his chest, bringing himself down to the level of a
common, dirty-haired artist. Well, Murray's got a lot to learn before he
finds an owner fit to trust him with a ship of his own."

Kettle read the hurried letter through a second time, and then got up
out of his long chair, and put on his spruce white drill uniform coat,
and exchanged his white canvas shoes for another pair more newly
pipeclayed. His steamer might merely be a common cargo tramp, the town
he was going to visit ashore might be merely the usual savage settlement
one meets with on the Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf, but the little
sailor did not dress for the admiration of fashionable crowds. He was
smart and spruce always out of deference to his own self-respect.

He went up to the second mate at the tally desk on the main deck below,
and gave him some instructions. "I'm going ashore," he said, "and leave
you in charge. Don't let too many of these niggers come aboard at once,
and tell the steward to keep all the doors to below snugly fastened. I
locked the chart-house myself when I came out. Have you heard about
the mate?"

"No, sir."

"Ah, I thought the news would have been spread well about the ship
before it came to me. He's got in trouble ashore, and I suppose I must
go, and see the Kady, and get him bailed out."

The second mate wiped the dust and perspiration from his face with his
bare arm, and leant on the tally-desk, and grinned. Here seemed to be an
opportunity for the relaxation of stiff official relations. "What's
tripped him?" he asked. "Skirt or photographing?"

"He will probably tell you himself when he comes back," said Kettle
coldly. "I shall send him to his room for three days when he gets
on board."

The second mate pulled his face into seriousness. "I don't suppose he
got into trouble intentionally, sir."

"Probably not, but that doesn't alter the fact that he has managed it
somehow. I don't engage my mates for amusements of that kind, Mr. Grain.
I've got them here to work, and help me do my duty by the owners. If
they take up low class trades like artisting, they must be prepared to
stand the consequences. You'll remember the orders I've given you? If
I'm wante