The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Head of The Family, by W.W. Jacobs

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Title: The Head of The Family
Sailor's Knots, Part 9.

Author: W.W. Jacobs

Release Date: January 22, 2004 [EBook #10789]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY ***

Produced by David Widger

SAILORS' KNOTS

By W.W. Jacobs

1909

THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY

Mr. Letts had left his ship by mutual arrangement, and the whole of the
crew had mustered to see him off and to express their sense of relief at
his departure. After some years spent in long voyages, he had fancied a
trip on a coaster as a change, and, the schooner Curlew having no use for
a ship's carpenter, had shipped as cook. He had done his best, and the
unpleasant epithets that followed him along the quay at Dunchurch as he
followed in the wake of his sea-chest were the result. Master and mate
nodded in grim appreciation of the crew's efforts.

[Illustration: "After some years spent in long voyages"]

He put his chest up at a seamen's lodging-house, and, by no means
perturbed at this sudden change in his fortunes, sat on a seat
overlooking the sea, with a cigarette between his lips, forming plans for
his future. His eyes closed, and he opened them with a start to find
that a middle-aged woman of pleasant but careworn appearance had taken
the other end of the bench.

"Fine day," said Mr. Letts, lighting another cigarette.

The woman assented and sat looking over the sea.

"Ever done any cooking?" asked Mr. Letts, presently.

"Plenty," was the surprised reply. "Why?"

"I just wanted to ask you how long you would boil a bit o' beef," said
Mr. Letts. "Only from curiosity; I should never ship as cook again."

He narrated his experience of the last few days, and, finding the
listener sympathetic, talked at some length about himself and his
voyages; also of his plans for the future.

"I lost my son at sea," said the woman, with a sigh. "You favor him
rather."

Mr. Letts's face softened. "Sorry," he said. "Sorry you lost him, I
mean."

"At least, I suppose he would have been like you," said the other; "but
it's