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n dreams and sound investments at six per cent. He brings in a _Lloyd's News_, arrived by the last mail. "Ah!" The Mate is certainly making the best of it. What are the exact components of the drink I cannot determine, but the resultant is without blemish; eggs, milk, brandy, rum--all these are in it, and the Mate's tongue loosens. "Have you seen this about ze _Lorenzo_, mister?" asks Nicholas. "What's that?" Nicholas (reading): "'Ze _Lorenzo_, bound from New Yawk to Cuba with coke, met with heavy gales off Cape Hatteras, and has put back into Norfolk in a disabled condition. Two blades of her propeller are broken, and she is leaking badly amidships. She is to undergo a special survey before proceeding further.'" The Mate's visage is wrinkled, his mouth is pursed up as he sets down his glass and adjusts his spectacles to read, and he nods his head. "See, now, 'tis two years, two years an' a half, since I left her. Nicholas, you were there then, were ye not?" "Ess, mister. She was on the Western Ocean trade then, too." "Aye! Lumber out o' St. John's to Liverpool." He lays down the paper. "Mr. McAlnwick, now wait while I tell ye. Ye talk of honesty at sea? I joined that ship in Glasgow, an' we signed on for the voy'ge, winter North Atlantic. General cargo for St. John's, Newf'unlan', with deals to bring back to Liverpool. And, though _you_ may consider me superstitious, not havin' been long at sea" (Nicholas stands, legs apart, glass in hand, head nodding sagely), "not havin' been long at sea, I say, 'twas the Second and Fourth engineers who brought us black luck!" "How, Mr. Honna?" "This way. Nicholas, sit ye down and listen. I was Mate, as I am here. I went up from London and joined her, an' the Chief, who's here now, was thick as thieves with the old man, an' was courtin' the youngest daughter, tho' he never married her--_he_ came to lay down the law to me. There was a spare stateroom for'ard of the alley-way, port side. The door was locked, an' I wanted it open. Ses he, ''Tis locked.' Ses I, 'I want it open.' Ses he, 'Who are you?' Ye know his way, Mr. McAlnwick? Ses I, 'I'm the Mate o' this ship, an', by Gawd, if that door isn't opened smart, ye're a better man than I am.' And I took off me coat. 'Oh,' ses he, ''tis all right, mister, I'll have it opened.' Ye see, there was women aboard, an' the Second and Fourth were responsible." "They were inside!" snickers Nicholas, looking at his cigar
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