. . . For our personal libraries we possess:
"_R.O._--A hulking big copy of the _International Code of
Signals_: a putrid bad book, of which I am preparing, in odd
moments, a recension, to submit to the Board of Trade. Y.-Smith
borrows this off me now and then, to learn up the flags at the
beginning. He gloats on crude colours.
"_Polkinghorne_--A Bible, which I borrow, sometimes for private
study, sometimes (you understand?) for professional purposes.
It contains a Book of Common Prayer as well as the Apocrypha.
P. (a Cornishman, something of a mystic, two years my senior and
full of mining experiences in Nevada and S. America) always
finds a difficulty in parting with this, his one book. He is
deep in it, this moment, at the far end of the table.
"_Sammy Barham_, so far as anyone can discover, has never read a
book in his life nor wanted to. He was educated at Harrow.
Lacking the _Daily Mail_, he is miserable just now, poor boy!
I almost forgave the Code upon discovering that his initials,
S.
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