Chance

Powell did not detect any particular excellence in what seemed a spying

employment. But in his simplicity he said that he should have thought

Mrs. Anthony would have been glad anyhow to have another woman on board.

He was thinking of the white-faced girlish personality which it seemed to

him ought to have been cared for. The innocent young man always looked

upon the girl as immature; something of a child yet.

"She! glad! Why it was she who had her fired out. She didn't want

anybody around the cabin. Mrs. Brown is certain of it. She told her

husband so. You ask the steward and hear what he has to say about it.

That's why I don't like it. A capable woman who knew her place. But no.

Out she must go. For no fault, mind you. The captain was ashamed to

send her away. But that wife of his--aye the precious pair of them have

got hold of him. I can't speak to him for a minute on the poop without

that thimble-rigging coon coming gliding up. I'll tell you what. I

overheard once--God knows I didn't try to--only he forgot I was on the

other side of the skylight with my sextant--I overheard him--you know how

he sits hanging over her chair and talking away without properly opening

his mouth--yes I caught the word right enough. He was alluding to the

captain as "the jailer." The jail . . . !"

Franklin broke off with a profane execration. A silence reigned for a

long time and the slight, very gentle rolling of the ship slipping before

the N.E. trade-wind seemed to be a soothing device for lulling to sleep

the suspicions of men who trust themselves to the sea.

A deep sigh was heard followed by the mate's voice asking dismally if

that was the way one would speak of a man to whom one wished well? No

better proof of something wrong was needed. Therefore he hoped, as he

vanished at last, that Mr. Powell would be on their side. And this time

Mr. Powell did not answer this hope with an embarrassed laugh.

That young officer was more and more surprised at the nature of the

incongruous revelations coming to him in the surroundings and in the

atmosphere of the open sea. It is difficult for us to understand the

extent, the completeness, the comprehensiveness of his inexperience, for

us who didn't go to sea out of a small private school at the age of

fourteen years and nine months. Leaning on his elbow in the mizzen

rigging and so still that the helmsman over there at the other end of the

poop might have (and he probably did) suspect him of being criminally

asleep on duty, he tried to "get hold of that thing" by some side which

would fit in with his simple notions of psychology. "What the deuce are

they worrying about?" he asked himself in a dazed and contemptuous

impatience. But all the same "jailer" was a funny name to give a man;

unkind, unfriendly, nasty. He was sorry that Mr. Smith was guilty in

that matter because, the truth must be told, he had been to a certain

extent sensible of having been noticed in a quiet manner by the father of

Mrs. Anthony. Youth appreciates that sort of recognition which is the

subtlest form of flattery age can offer. Mr. Smith seized opportunities

to approach him on deck. His remarks were sometimes weird and

enigmatical.