y passed and without experience as an
officer, because he turned about and looked me over as if I had been
exposed for sale.

"He's young," he mutters. "Looks smart, though . . . You're smart and
willing (this to me very sudden and loud) and all that, aren't you?"

"I just managed to open and shut my mouth, no more, being taken unawares.
But it was enough for him. He made as if I had deafened him with
protestations of my smartness and willingness.

"Of course, of course. All right." And then turning to the Shipping
Master who sat there swinging his leg, he said that he certainly couldn't
go to sea without a second officer. I stood by as if all these things
were happening to some other chap whom I was seeing through with it. Mr.
Powell stared at me with those shining eyes of his. But that bothered
skipper turns upon me again as though he wanted to snap my head off.

"You aren't too big to be told how to do things--are you? You've a lot
to learn yet though you mayn't think so."

"I had half a mind to save my dignity by telling him that if it was my
seamanship he was alluding to I wanted him to understand that a fellow
who had survived being turned inside out for an hour and a half by
Captain R- was equal to any demand his old ship was likely to make on his
competence. However he didn't give me a chance to make that sort of fool
of myself because before I could open my mouth he had gone round on
another tack and was addressing himself affably to Mr. Powell who
swinging his leg never took his eyes off me.

"I'll take your young friend willingly, Mr. Powell. If you let him sign
on as second-mate at once I'll take the Articles away with me now."

"It suddenly dawned upon me that the innocent skipper of the _Ferndale_
had taken it for granted that I was a relative of the Shipping Master! I
was quite astonished at this discovery, though indeed the mistake was
natural enough under the circumstances. What I ought to have admired was
the reticence with which this misunderstanding had been established and
acted upon. But I was too stupid then to admire anything. All my
anxiety was that this should be cleared up. I was ass enough to wonder
exceedingly at Mr. Powell failing to notice the misapprehension. I saw a
slight twitch come and go on his face; but instead of setting right that
mistake the Shipping Master swung round on his stool and addressed me as
'Charles.' He did. And I detected him taking a hasty sq