The Project Gutenberg EBook of Salthaven, by W. W. Jacobs

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: Salthaven

Author: W. W. Jacobs

Release Date: June 25, 2007 [EBook #21930]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SALTHAVEN ***

Produced by David Widger

SALTHAVEN

By W. W. Jacobs

1908

CHAPTER I

MR. JOHN VYNER, ship-owner, pushed his chair back from his writing-table
and gazed with kindly condescension at the chief clerk as he stood
before it with a handful of papers.

"We shall be able to relieve you of some of your work soon, Hartley," he
said, slowly. "Mr. Robert will come into the firm next week." The chief
clerk bowed.

"Three years at Cambridge," resumed Mr. Vyner, meditatively, "and two
years spent up and down the world studying the business methods of other
nations ought to render him invaluable to us."

"No doubt, sir," said Hartley. "It is an excellent training."

"For a time," said the ship-owner, leaning back and placing the tips of
his fingers together, "for a time I am afraid that he will have to have
your room. Later on--ha--if a room should--ha--fall vacant in the
building, we might consider taking it."

"Yes, sir," said the other.

"And, of course," resumed Mr. Vyner, "there is one great advantage in
your being in the general office which must not be overlooked; you can
keep an eye on the juniors better."

"It is cheerful, too, sir," suggested the chief clerk; "the only
thing--"

"Yes?" said Mr. Vyner, somewhat loudly.

Mr. Hartley shrank a little. "I was going to say that it is rather a
small room for Mr. Robert," he said, quickly.

"It will do for a time," said the other.

"And--and I think I told you, sir, that there is an unpleasant
sm--odour."

Mr. Vyner knitted his brows. "I offered to have that seen to, but you
said that you didn't mind it," he remarked.

"Just so, sir," said Hartley; "but I was thinking of Mr. Robert. He
might not like it; it's very strong at times--very strong indeed."

"You ought to have had it attended to before," said Mr. Vyner, with some
severity. "You had better call at Gillows' on your way home and ask them
to send a man up first thing to-mor