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diff --git a/11182.txt b/11182.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d570d52 --- /dev/null +++ b/11182.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1110 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Boatswain's Mate, 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: The Boatswain's Mate + Captains All, Book 2. + +Author: W.W. Jacobs + +Release Date: February 20, 2004 [EBook #11182] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOATSWAIN'S MATE *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + +CAPTAINS ALL + +By W.W. Jacobs + + + +THE BOATSWAIN'S MATE + +[Illustration: "The Boatswain's Mate"] + +Mr. George Benn, retired boat-swain, sighed noisily, and with a +despondent gesture, turned to the door and stood with the handle in his +hand; Mrs. Waters, sitting behind the tiny bar in a tall Windsor-chair, +eyed him with some heat. + +"My feelings'll never change," said the boatswain. + +"Nor mine either," said the landlady, sharply. "It's a strange thing, +Mr. Benn, but you always ask me to marry you after the third mug." + +"It's only to get my courage up," pleaded the boatswain. "Next time I'll +do it afore I 'ave a drop; that'll prove to you I'm in earnest." + +He stepped outside and closed the door before the landlady could make a +selection from the many retorts that crowded to her lips. + +After the cool bar, with its smell of damp saw-dust, the road seemed hot +and dusty; but the boatswain, a prey to gloom natural to a man whose hand +has been refused five times in a fortnight, walked on unheeding. His +steps lagged, but his brain was active. + +He walked for two miles deep in thought, and then coming to a shady bank +took a seat upon an inviting piece of turf and lit his pipe. The heat +and the drowsy hum of bees made him nod; his pipe hung from the corner of +his mouth, and his eyes closed. + +He opened them at the sound of approaching footsteps, and, feeling in his +pocket for matches, gazed lazily at the intruder. He saw a tall man +carrying a small bundle over his shoulder, and in the erect carriage, the +keen eyes, and bronzed face had little difficulty in detecting the old +soldier. + +The stranger stopped as he reached the seated boatswain and eyed him +pleasantly. + +"Got a pipe o' baccy, mate?" he inquired. + +The boatswain handed him the small metal box in which he kept that +luxury. + +"Lobster, ain't you?" he said, affably. + +The tall man nodded. "Was," he replied. "Now I'm my own commander-in- +chief." + +"Padding it?" suggested the boatswain, taking the box from him and +refilling his pipe. + +The other nodded, and with the air of one disposed to conversation +dropped his bundle in the ditch and took a seat beside him. "I've got +plenty of time," he remarked. + +Mr. Benn nodded, and for a while smoked on in silence. A dim idea which +had been in his mind for some time began to clarify. He stole a glance +at his companion--a man of about thirty-eight, clear eyes, with humorous +wrinkles at the corners, a heavy moustache, and a cheerful expression +more than tinged with recklessness. + +"Ain't over and above fond o' work?" suggested the boatswain, when he had +finished his inspection. + +"I love it," said the other, blowing a cloud of smoke in the air, "but we +can't have all we want in this world; it wouldn't be good for us." + +The boatswain thought of Mrs. Waters, and sighed. Then he rattled his +pocket. + +"Would arf a quid be any good to you?" he inquired. + +"Look here," began the soldier; "just because I asked you for a pipe o' +baccy--" + +"No offence," said the other, quickly. "I mean if you earned it?" + +The soldier nodded and took his pipe from his mouth. "Gardening and +windows?" he hazarded, with a shrug of his shoulders. + +The boatswain shook his head. + +"Scrubbing, p'r'aps?" said the soldier, with a sigh of resignation. +"Last house I scrubbed out I did it so thoroughly they accused me of +pouching the soap. Hang 'em!" + +"And you didn't?" queried the boatswain, eyeing him keenly. + +The soldier rose and, knocking the ashes out of his pipe, gazed at him +darkly. "I can't give it back to you," he said, slowly, "because I've +smoked some of it, and I can't pay you for it because I've only got +twopence, and that I want for myself. So long, matey, and next time +a poor wretch asks you for a pipe, be civil." + +"I never see such a man for taking offence in all my born days," +expostulated the boat-swain. "I 'ad my reasons for that remark, mate. +Good reasons they was." + +The soldier grunted and, stooping, picked up his bundle. + +"I spoke of arf a sovereign just now," continued the boatswain, +impressively, "and when I tell you that I offer it to you to do a bit o' +burgling, you'll see 'ow necessary it is for me to be certain of your +honesty." + +"_Burgling?_" gasped the astonished soldier. "_Honesty?_ 'Struth; are +you drunk or am I?" + +"Meaning," said the boatswain, waving the imputation away with his hand, +"for you to pretend to be a burglar." + +"We're both drunk, that's what it is," said the other, resignedly. + +The boatswain fidgeted. "If you don't agree, mum's the word and no 'arm +done," he said, holding out his hand. + +"Mum's the word," said the soldier, taking it. "My name's Ned Travers, +and, barring cells for a spree now and again, there's nothing against it. +Mind that." + +"Might 'appen to anybody," said Mr. Benn, soothingly. "You fill your +pipe and don't go chucking good tobacco away agin." + +Mr. Travers took the offered box and, with economy born of adversity, +stooped and filled up first with the plug he had thrown away. Then he +resumed his seat and, leaning back luxuriously, bade the other "fire +away." + +"I ain't got it all ship-shape and proper yet," said Mr. Benn, slowly, +"but it's in my mind's eye. It's been there off and on like for some +time." + +He lit his pipe again and gazed fixedly at the opposite hedge. "Two +miles from here, where I live," he said, after several vigorous puffs, +"there's a little public-'ouse called the Beehive, kept by a lady wot +I've got my eye on." + +The soldier sat up. + +"She won't 'ave me," said the boatswain, with an air of mild surprise. + +The soldier leaned back again. + +"She's a lone widder," continued Mr. Benn, shaking his head, "and the +Beehive is in a lonely place. It's right through the village, and the +nearest house is arf a mile off." + +"Silly place for a pub," commented Mr. Travers. + +"I've been telling her 'ow unsafe it is," said the boatswain. "I've been +telling her that she wants a man to protect her, and she only laughs at +me. She don't believe it; d'ye see? Likewise I'm a small man--small, +but stiff. She likes tall men." + +"Most women do," said Mr. Travers, sitting upright and instinctively +twisting his moustache. "When I was in the ranks--" + +"My idea is," continued the boatswain, slightly raising his voice, "to +kill two birds with one stone--prove to her that she does want being +protected, and that I'm the man to protect her. D'ye take my meaning, +mate?" + +The soldier reached out a hand and felt the other's biceps. "Like a lump +o' wood," he said, approvingly. + +"My opinion is," said the boatswain, with a faint smirk, "that she loves +me without knowing it." + +"They often do," said Mr. Travers, with a grave shake of his head. + +"Consequently I don't want 'er to be disappointed," said the other. + +"It does you credit," remarked Mr. Travers. + +"I've got a good head," said Mr. Benn, "else I shouldn't 'ave got my +rating as boatswain as soon as I did; and I've been turning it over in my +mind, over and over agin, till my brain-pan fair aches with it. Now, if +you do what I want you to to-night and it comes off all right, damme I'll +make it a quid." + +"Go on, Vanderbilt," said Mr. Travers; "I'm listening." + +The boatswain gazed at him fixedly. "You meet me 'ere in this spot at +eleven o'clock to-night," he said, solemnly; "and I'll take you to her +'ouse and put you through a little winder I know of. You goes upstairs +and alarms her, and she screams for help. I'm watching the house, +faithful-like, and hear 'er scream. I dashes in at the winder, knocks +you down, and rescues her. D'ye see?" + +"I hear," corrected Mr. Travers, coldly. + +"She clings to me," continued the boat-swain, with a rapt expression of +face, "in her gratitood, and, proud of my strength and pluck, she marries +me." + +"An' I get a five years' honeymoon," said the soldier. + +The boatswain shook his head and patted the other's shoulder. "In the +excitement of the moment you spring up and escape," he said, with a +kindly smile. "I've thought it all out. You can run much faster than I +can; any-ways, you will. The nearest 'ouse is arf a mile off, as I said, +and her servant is staying till to-morrow at 'er mother's, ten miles +away." + +Mr. Travers rose to his feet and stretched himself. "Time I was +toddling," he said, with a yawn. "Thanks for amusing me, mate." + +"You won't do it?" said the boatswain, eyeing him with much concern. + +"I'm hanged if I do," said the soldier, emphatically. "Accidents will +happen, and then where should I be?" + +"If they did," said the boatswain, "I'd own up and clear you." + +"You might," said Mr. Travers, "and then again you mightn't. So long, +mate." + +"I--I'll make it two quid," said the boat-swain, trembling with +eagerness. "I've took a fancy to you; you're just the man for the job." + +The soldier, adjusting his bundle, glanced at him over his shoulder. +"Thankee," he said, with mock gratitude. + +"Look 'ere," said the boatswain, springing up and catching him by the +sleeve; "I'll give it to you in writing. Come, you ain't faint-hearted? +Why, a bluejacket 'ud do it for the fun o' the thing. If I give it to +you in writing, and there should be an accident, it's worse for me than +it is for you, ain't it?" + +Mr. Travers hesitated and, pushing his cap back, scratched his head. + +"I gives you the two quid afore you go into the house," continued the +boatswain, hastily following up the impression he had made. "I'd give +'em to you now if I'd got 'em with me. That's my confidence in you; I +likes the look of you. Soldier or sailor, when there is a man's work to +be done, give 'em to me afore anybody." + +[Illustration: "'I gives you the two quid afore you go into the house,' +continued the boatswain."] + +The soldier seated himself again and let his bundle fall to the ground. +"Go on," he said, slowly. "Write it out fair and square and sign it, and +I'm your man." + +The boatswain clapped him on the shoulder and produced a bundle of papers +from his pocket. "There's letters there with my name and address on +'em," he said. "It's all fair, square, and above-board. When you've +cast your eyes over them I'll give you the writing." + +Mr. Travers took them and, re-lighting his pipe, smoked in silence, with +various side glances at his companion as that enthusiast sucked his +pencil and sat twisting in the agonies of composition. The document +finished--after several failures had been retrieved and burnt by the +careful Mr. Travers--the boat-swain heaved a sigh of relief, and handing +it over to him, leaned back with a complacent air while he read it. + +"Seems all right," said the soldier, folding it up and putting it in his +waistcoat-pocket. "I'll be here at eleven to-night." + +"Eleven it is," said the boatswain, briskly, "and, between pals--here's +arf a dollar to go on with." + +He patted him on the shoulder again, and with a caution to keep out of +sight as much as possible till night walked slowly home. His step was +light, but he carried a face in which care and exultation were strangely +mingled. + +By ten o'clock that night care was in the ascendant, and by eleven, when +he discerned the red glow of Mr. Travers's pipe set as a beacon against a +dark background of hedge, the boatswain was ready to curse his inventive +powers. Mr. Travers greeted him cheerily and, honestly attributing the +fact to good food and a couple of pints of beer he had had since the +boatswain left him, said that he was ready for anything. + +Mr. Benn grunted and led the way in silence. There was no moon, but the +night was clear, and Mr. Travers, after one or two light-hearted attempts +at conversation, abandoned the effort and fell to whistling softly +instead. + +Except for one lighted window the village slept in darkness, but the +boatswain, who had been walking with the stealth of a Red Indian on the +war-path, breathed more freely after they had left it behind. A renewal +of his antics a little farther on apprised Mr. Travers that they were +approaching their destination, and a minute or two later they came to a +small inn standing just off the road. "All shut up and Mrs. Waters abed, +bless her," whispered the boatswain, after walking care-fully round the +house. "How do you feel?" + +"I'm all right," said Mr. Travers. "I feel as if I'd been burgling all +my life. How do you feel?" + +"Narvous," said Mr. Benn, pausing under a small window at the rear of the +house. "This is the one." + +Mr. Travers stepped back a few paces and gazed up at the house. All was +still. For a few moments he stood listening and then re-joined the +boatswain. + +"Good-bye, mate," he said, hoisting himself on to the sill. "Death or +victory." + +The boatswain whispered and thrust a couple of sovereigns into his hand. +"Take your time; there's no hurry," he muttered. "I want to pull myself +together. Frighten 'er enough, but not too much. When she screams I'll +come in." + +Mr. Travers slipped inside and then thrust his head out of the window. +"Won't she think it funny you should be so handy?" he inquired. + +"No; it's my faithful 'art," said the boat-swain, "keeping watch over her +every night, that's the ticket. She won't know no better." + +Mr. Travers grinned, and removing his boots passed them out to the other. +"We don't want her to hear me till I'm upstairs," he whispered. "Put 'em +outside, handy for me to pick up." + +The boatswain obeyed, and Mr. Travers--who was by no means a good hand at +darning socks--shivered as he trod lightly over a stone floor. Then, +following the instructions of Mr. Benn, he made his way to the stairs and +mounted noiselessly. + +But for a slight stumble half-way up his progress was very creditable for +an amateur. He paused and listened and, all being silent, made his way +to the landing and stopped out-side a door. Despite himself his heart +was beating faster than usual. + +He pushed the door open slowly and started as it creaked. Nothing +happening he pushed again, and standing just inside saw, by a small ewer +silhouetted against the casement, that he was in a bedroom. He listened +for the sound of breathing, but in vain. + +"Quiet sleeper," he reflected; "or perhaps it is an empty room. Now, I +wonder whether--" + +The sound of an opening door made him start violently, and he stood +still, scarcely breathing, with his ears on the alert. A light shone on +the landing, and peeping round the door he saw a woman coming along the +corridor--a younger and better-looking woman than he had expected to +see. In one hand she held aloft a candle, in the other she bore a +double-barrelled gun. Mr. Travers withdrew into the room and, as the +light came nearer, slipped into a big cupboard by the side of the +fireplace and, standing bolt upright, waited. The light came into the +room. + +"Must have been my fancy," said a pleasant voice. + +"Bless her," smiled Mr. Travers. + +His trained ear recognized the sound of cocking triggers. The next +moment a heavy body bumped against the door of the cupboard and the key +turned in the lock. + +"Got you!" said the voice, triumphantly. "Keep still; if you try and +break out I shall shoot you." + +"All right," said Mr. Travers, hastily; "I won't move." + +"Better not," said the voice. "Mind, I've got a gun pointing straight at +you." + +"Point it downwards, there's a good girl," said Mr. Travers, earnestly; +"and take your finger off the trigger. If anything happened to me you'd +never forgive yourself." + +"It's all right so long as you don't move," said the voice; "and I'm not +a girl," it added, sternly. + +"Yes, you are," said the prisoner. "I saw you. I thought it was an +angel at first. I saw your little bare feet and--" + +A faint scream interrupted him. + +"You'll catch cold," urged Mr. Travers. + +"Don't you trouble about me," said the voice, tartly. + +"I won't give any trouble," said Mr. Travers, who began to think it was +time for the boatswain to appear on the scene. "Why don't you call for +help? I'll go like a lamb." + +"I don't want your advice," was the reply. "I know what to do. Now, +don't you try and break out. I'm going to fire one barrel out of the +window, but I've got the other one for you if you move." + +"My dear girl," protested the horrified Mr. Travers, "you'll alarm the +neighbourhood." + +"Just what I want to do," said the voice. "Keep still, mind." + +Mr. Travers hesitated. The game was up, and it was clear that in any +case the stratagem of the ingenious Mr. Benn would have to be disclosed. + +"Stop!" he said, earnestly. "Don't do anything rash. I'm not a burglar; +I'm doing this for a friend of yours--Mr. Benn." + +"What?" said an amazed voice. + +"True as I stand here," asseverated Mr. Travers. "Here, here's my +instructions. I'll put 'em under the door, and if you go to the back +window you'll see him in the garden waiting." + +He rustled the paper under the door, and it was at once snatched from his +fingers. He regained an upright position and stood listening to the +startled and indignant exclamations of his gaoler as she read the +boatswain's permit: + + "_This is to give notice that I, George Benn, being of sound mind + and body, have told Ned Travers to pretend to be a burglar at Mrs. + Waters's. He ain't a burglar, and I shall be outside all the time. + It's all above-board and ship-shape. + + "(Signed) George Benn_" + +"Sound mind--above-board--ship-shape," repeated a dazed voice. "Where is +he?" + +"Out at the back," replied Mr. Travers. "If you go to the window you can +see him. Now, do put something round your shoulders, there's a good +girl." + +There was no reply, but a board creaked. He waited for what seemed a +long time, and then the board creaked again. + +"Did you see him?" he inquired. + +"I did," was the sharp reply. "You both ought to be ashamed of +yourselves. You ought to be punished." + +"There is a clothes-peg sticking into the back of my head," remarked Mr. +Travers. "What are you going to do?" + +There was no reply. + +"What are you going to do?" repeated Mr. Travers, somewhat uneasily. +"You look too nice to do anything hard; leastways, so far as I can judge +through this crack." + +There was a smothered exclamation, and then sounds of somebody moving +hastily about the room and the swish of clothing hastily donned. + +"You ought to have done it before," commented the thoughtful Mr. Travers. +"It's enough to give you your death of cold." + +"Mind your business," said the voice, sharply. "Now, if I let you out, +will you promise to do exactly as I tell you?" + +"Honour bright," said Mr. Travers, fervently. + +"I'm going to give Mr. Benn a lesson he won't forget," proceeded the +other, grimly. "I'm going to fire off this gun, and then run down and +tell him I've killed you." + +"Eh?" said the amazed Mr. Travers. "Oh, Lord!" + +"H'sh! Stop that laughing," commanded the voice. "He'll hear you. Be +quiet!" + +The key turned in the lock, and Mr. Travers, stepping forth, clapped his +hand over his mouth and endeavoured to obey. Mrs. Waters, stepping back +with the gun ready, scrutinized him closely. + +"Come on to the landing," said Mr. Travers, eagerly. "We don't want +anybody else to hear. Fire into this." + +He snatched a patchwork rug from the floor and stuck it up against the +balusters. "You stay here," said Mrs. Waters. He nodded. + +She pointed the gun at the hearth-rug, the walls shook with the +explosion, and, with a shriek that set Mr. Travers's teeth on edge, she +rushed downstairs and, drawing back the bolts of the back door, tottered +outside and into the arms of the agitated boatswain. + +"Oh! oh! oh!" she cried. + +"What--what's the matter?" gasped the boatswain. + +The widow struggled in his arms. "A burglar," she said, in a tense +whisper. "But it's all right; I've killed him." + +"Kill--" stuttered the other. "Kill----_Killed him?_" + +Mrs. Waters nodded and released herself, "First shot," she said, with a +satisfied air. + +The boatswain wrung his hands. "Good heavens!" he said, moving slowly +towards the door. "Poor fellow!" + +"Come back," said the widow, tugging at his coat. + +"I was--was going to see--whether I could do anything for 'im," quavered +the boatswain. "Poor fellow!" + +"You stay where you are," commanded Mrs. Waters. "I don't want any +witnesses. I don't want this house to have a bad name. I'm going to +keep it quiet." + +"Quiet?" said the shaking boatswain. "How?" + +"First thing to do," said the widow, thoughtfully, "is to get rid of the +body. I'll bury him in the garden, I think. There's a very good bit of +ground behind those potatoes. You'll find the spade in the tool-house." + +The horrified Mr. Benn stood stock-still regarding her. + +"While you're digging the grave," continued Mrs. 'Waters, calmly, "I'll +go in and clean up the mess." + +The boatswain reeled and then fumbled with trembling fingers at his +collar. + +Like a man in a dream he stood watching as she ran to the tool-house and +returned with a spade and pick; like a man in a dream he followed her on +to the garden. + +"Be careful," she said, sharply; "you're treading down my potatoes." + +The boatswain stopped dead and stared at her. Apparently unconscious of +his gaze, she began to pace out the measurements and then, placing the +tools in his hands, urged him to lose no time. + +"I'll bring him down when you're gone," she said, looking towards the +house. + +The boatswain wiped his damp brow with the back of his hand. "How are +you going to get it downstairs?" he breathed. + +"Drag it," said Mrs. Waters, briefly. + +"Suppose he isn't dead?" said the boat-swain, with a gleam of hope. + +"Fiddlesticks!" said Mrs. Waters. "Do you think I don't know? Now, +don't waste time talking; and mind you dig it deep. I'll put a few +cabbages on top afterwards--I've got more than I want." + +She re-entered the house and ran lightly upstairs. The candle was still +alight and the gun was leaning against the bed-post; but the visitor had +disappeared. Conscious of an odd feeling of disappointment, she looked +round the empty room. + +"Come and look at him," entreated a voice, and she turned and beheld the +amused countenance of her late prisoner at the door. + +"I've been watching from the back window," he said, nodding. "You're a +wonder; that's what you are. Come and look at him." + +Mrs. Waters followed, and leaning out of the window watched with simple +pleasure the efforts of the amateur sexton. Mr. Benn was digging like +one possessed, only pausing at intervals to straighten his back and to +cast a fearsome glance around him. The only thing that marred her +pleasure was the behaviour of Mr. Travers, who was struggling for a place +with all the fervour of a citizen at the Lord Mayor's show. + +"Get back," she said, in a fierce whisper. "He'll see you." + +Mr. Travers with obvious reluctance obeyed, just as the victim looked up. + +"Is that you, Mrs. Waters?" inquired the boatswain, fearfully. + +"Yes, of course it is," snapped the widow. "Who else should it be, do +you think? Go on! What are you stopping for?" + +Mr. Benn's breathing as he bent to his task again was distinctly audible. +The head of Mr. Travers ranged itself once more alongside the widow's. +For a long time they watched in silence. + +"Won't you come down here, Mrs. Waters?" called the boatswain, looking up +so suddenly that Mr. Travers's head bumped painfully against the side of +the window. "It's a bit creepy, all alone." + +"I'm all right," said Mrs. Waters. + +"I keep fancying there's something dodging behind them currant bushes," +pursued the unfortunate Mr. Benn, hoarsely. "How you can stay there +alone I can't think. I thought I saw something looking over your +shoulder just now. Fancy if it came creeping up behind and caught hold +of you! The widow gave a sudden faint scream. + +"If you do that again" she said, turning fiercely on Mr. Travers. + +"He put it into my head," said the culprit, humbly; "I should never have +thought of such a thing by myself. I'm one of the quietest and +best-behaved----" + +"Make haste, Mr. Benn," said the widow, turning to the window again; +"I've got a lot to do when you've finished." + +The boatswain groaned and fell to digging again, and Mrs. Waters, after +watching a little while longer, gave Mr. Travers some pointed +instructions about the window and went down to the garden again. + +"That will do, I think," she said, stepping into the hole and regarding +it critically. "Now you'd better go straight off home, and, mind, not a +word to a soul about this." + +She put her hand on his shoulder, and noticing with pleasure that he +shuddered at her touch led the way to the gate. The boat-swain paused +for a moment, as though about to speak, and then, apparently thinking +better of it, bade her good-bye in a hoarse voice and walked feebly up +the road. Mrs. Waters stood watching until his steps died away in the +distance, and then, returning to the garden, took up the spade and stood +regarding with some dismay the mountainous result of his industry. Mr. +Travers, who was standing just inside the back door, joined her. + +"Let me," he said, gallantly. + +The day was breaking as he finished his task. The clean, sweet air and +the exercise had given him an appetite to which the smell of cooking +bacon and hot coffee that proceeded from the house had set a sharper +edge. He took his coat from a bush and put it on. Mrs. Waters appeared +at the door. + +"You had better come in and have some breakfast before you go," she said, +brusquely; "there's no more sleep for me now." + +Mr. Travers obeyed with alacrity, and after a satisfying wash in the +scullery came into the big kitchen with his face shining and took a seat +at the table. The cloth was neatly laid, and Mrs. Waters, fresh and +cool, with a smile upon her pleasant face, sat behind the tray. She +looked at her guest curiously, Mr. Travers's spirits being somewhat +higher than the state of his wardrobe appeared to justify. + +"Why don't you get some settled work?" she inquired, with gentle +severity, as he imparted snatches of his history between bites. + +"Easier said than done," said Mr. Travers, serenely. "But don't you run +away with the idea that I'm a beggar, because I'm not. I pay my way, +such as it is. And, by-the-bye, I s'pose I haven't earned that two +pounds Benn gave me?" + +His face lengthened, and he felt uneasily in his pocket. + +"I'll give them to him when I'm tired of the joke," said the widow, +holding out her hand and watching him closely. + +Mr. Travers passed the coins over to her. "Soft hand you've got," he +said, musingly. "I don't wonder Benn was desperate. I dare say I should +have done the same in his place." + +Mrs. Waters bit her lip and looked out at the window; Mr. Travers resumed +his breakfast. + +"There's only one job that I'm really fit for, now that I'm too old for +the Army," he said, confidentially, as, breakfast finished, he stood at +the door ready to depart. + +"Playing at burglars?" hazarded Mrs. Waters. + +"Landlord of a little country public-house," said Mr. Travers, simply. + +Mrs. Waters fell back and regarded him with open-eyed amazement. + +"Good morning," she said, as soon as she could trust her voice. + +"Good-bye," said Mr. Travers, reluctantly. "I should like to hear how +old Benn takes this joke, though." + +Mrs. Waters retreated into the house and stood regarding him. "If you're +passing this way again and like to look in--I'll tell you," she said, +after a long pause. "Good-bye." + +"I'll look in in a week's time," said Mr. Travers. + +He took the proffered hand and shook it warmly. "It would be the best +joke of all," he said, turning away. + +"What would?" + +The soldier confronted her again. + +"For old Benn to come round here one evening and find me landlord. Think +it over." + +Mrs. Waters met his gaze soberly. "I'll think it over when you have +gone," she said, softly. "Now go." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Boatswain's Mate, by W.W. 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