Being damned
with such assurance, he naturally inquired into means of grace, and so
developed the jest.

* * * * *

With the streak of slyness that marked him, he kept it pretty much
between himself and the censor, but I chanced to overhear an odd
passage. He called one day for a Bible, offering to prove the other
wrong on some argued matter.

"Na, fegs," said Christopher. "I hae nane."

"What--no Book!"

"I need nane. What for?"

"Why, for me, of course. It's a remedy for all ills, they say.... I'm
surprised at your not trying it on."

They made a picture there by the rail in a strong glint of sunlight--the
chief, squatted on a bollard like a grim and battered Moses giving the
law; Sutton, dapper in fresh ducks, his hands in his pockets, swaying
easily to the ship's motion.

Wickwire seemed to reflect. "Aye, it's a grand book, nae doot, but wad
ye listen? I been watchin' ye, laddie--I ken ye better than maybe ye
think."

"Much obliged, I'm sure," said Sutton pertly.

"Aye, there it is, ye see. Ye never tak' the straight way wi' life. But
what I dinna just ken is this: are ye a'thegither past the reach o' good
words for remedy? Puttin' aside the false glitter, could ever ye cast
the beam from yer eye an' listen how hell gapes for ye?"

"I might," said Sutton. "You haven't a notion how I enjoy hearing about
it. You might read to me."

I was startled then to see the depth of yearning in Wickwire's regard,
to see his hands knotting and twisting one in the other. However it
might be with the mate, it was no play with him; he was wrung with pity
as toward an erring son, or toward some younger memory of himself,
perhaps--for Sutton had this appeal.

"Suppose I should tell ye now I canna read the heid o' one printed word
frae the hurdies o' it?"

The idea took slow hold of Sutton while he stared and brightened.

"Can't read?" he echoed. "You can't read? Why, in that case--I could
read to you," he cried--"couldn't I? By gum, there's a notion! I'll do a
bit of instructing myself, d'y'see?... Truth--oodles of truth! I'll show
you old boy--"

And he did. At our very next port he went prowling among the shops where
the Government students get their second-hand textbooks, and when he
came back he brought the book with him, a book with a gilt cross on the
cover. You would have fancied the chief must have gained a great point
for salvation; on the other hand, Sutton apparently skimm