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ofbeingeverlastinglyready(evenwhenseatedattable
atmyrighthandbeforeaplateofsaltbeef)tograpple
withsomeimpendingcalamity.Imusthastentoadd
thathehadalsotheotherqualificationnecessary
tomakeatrustworthyseaman–thatofanabsolute
confidenceinhimself.Whatwasreallywrongwithhim
wasthathehadthesequalitiesinanunrestfuldegree.
Hiseternallywatchfuldemeanour,hisjerky,nervous
talk,evenhis,asitwere,determinedsilences,seemed
toimply–and,Ibelieve,theydidimply–thattohismind
theshipwasneversafeinmyhands.Suchwastheman
wholookedaftertheanchorsofalessthanfive-
hundred-tonbarque,myfirstcommand,nowgonefrom
thefaceoftheearth,butsureofatenderly
rememberedexistenceaslongasIlive.Noanchor
couldhavegonedownfoulunderMr.B–‘spiercing
eye.Itwasgoodforonetobesureofthatwhen,
inanopenroadstead,oneheardinthecabinthewind
pipeup;butstill,thereweremomentswhenIdetested
Mr.B–exceedingly.Fromthewayheusedtoglare
sometimes,Ifancythatmorethanoncehepaid
mebackwithinterest.Itsohappenedthatweboth
lovedthelittlebarqueverymuch.Anditwasjustthe
defectofMr.B–‘sinestimablequalitiesthathewould
neverpersuadehimselftobelievethattheshipwas
safeinmyhands.Tobeginwith,hewasmorethanfive
yearsolderthanmyselfatatimeoflifewhenfiveyears
reallydocount,Ibeingtwenty-nineandhethirty-four;
then,onourfirstleavingport(Idon’tseewhyIshould
makeasecretofthefactthatitwasBangkok),abit
ofmanoeuvringofmineamongsttheislandsoftheGulf
ofSiamhadgivenhimanunforgettablescare.Ever
sincethenhehadnursedinsecretabitteridea
ofmyutterrecklessness.Butuponthewhole,and
unlessthegripofaman’shandatpartingmeans
nothingwhatever,Iconcludethatwedidlikeeach
otherattheendoftwoyearsandthreemonthswell
enough.
Thebondbetweenuswastheship;andtherein
