I reckoned you for one
that doesn't speak out of his turn; and it came over me, just now,
that I'd like one such man, and him a gentleman, to bear in mind that
if I set my face pretty hard in the time that's ahead of us, it won't
mean that I ain't feeling things at the back of it.'
"'Thank you, Captain Macnaughten,' said I, pretty earnestly.
'The best I can answer is the simplest--that you're doing me much
honour.'
"'That's all right,' he said lightly: 'all right and understood.
One man often helps another in funny little ways in this funny old
world.' After a pause he went on yet more lightly and cheerfully,
'Well--and I've noticed you've a trick of beginning your sentences on
that word 'well': it's a habit of mine too, they tell me--as the
ladies say ashore, we're going to be worse before we are better, so
we'll call those fellows aft a bit and ease the steering. . . . Stay
a minute, though, before I call to them. . . . A clever man like you
ought to be able to pick up a bit of navigation in a few lessons.
While our boats keep together (as, please God, they will to the end)
it wouldn't be a bad notion if you dropped alongside just before
midday for a morning call, and I'll learn you how to handle a sextant
and prick down a reckoning.
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