In that mood he would have avoided Captain Zoradus Wass if he had spied
that boisterously cheerful mariner in season. But the captain had him by
the arm and was dancing him about the sidewalk, showing more affability
than was his wont.
"Heifers o' Herod! youngster," shouted the grizzled master, "have you
come looking for me?"
"No," faltered Mayo. "Did you want to see me?"
"Have worn taps off my boots to-day chasing from shipping commissioner's
office to every hole and corner along the water-front. Heard you had
quit aboard a yacht, and reckoned you had got sensible again and wanted
real work."
"If you had asked down among the fish-houses you might have got on track
of me, sir." Mayo's tone was somber.
"Fish! You fishing?" demanded Captain Wass, with incredulity.
"Yes, and on a chartered smack at that--shack-fishing on shares!" Mayo
was sourly resolved to paint his low estate in black colors. "And I have
concluded it's about all I'm fit for."
"That's fine, seaman-like talk to come from a young chap I have trained
up to master's papers, giving him two years in my pilot-house. I was
afraid you were going astern, you young cuss, when I heard you'd gone
skipper of a yacht, but I didn't think it was as bad as all this."
"My yachting business is done, sir."
"Thank the bald-headed Nicodemus! There's hopes of you. Did anybody tell
you I've been looking for you?"
"No, sir!"
"Glad of it. Now I can tell you myself. Do you know where I am now?"
"I heard you were on a Vose line freighter, sir."
"Don't know who told you that--but it wasn't Ananias. You're right.
She's the old Nequasset, handed back to me again because I'm the
only one who understands her cussed fool notions. First mate got drunk
yesterday and broke second mate's leg in the scuffle--one is in jail and
t'other in the hospital, and never neither of 'em will step aboard any
ship with me again. I sail at daybreak, bade to the Chesapeake for steel
rails. Got your papers?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Come along. You're first mate."
"Do you really want me, sir?"
"Want you? Confound it all, I've got you! In about half a day I'll have
all the yacht notions shaken out of you and the fish-scales stripped
off, and then you'll be what you was when I let you go--the smartest
youngster I ever trained."