There's nothing to take me out again--nothing."
Mr. Tredgold coughed and murmured something about breaking off old habits
too suddenly.
"It's a fine career," sighed Mr. Chalk.
"A manly life," said Mr. Tredgold, emphatically.
"It's like every other profession, it has two sides to it," said the
captain.
"It is not so well paid as it should be," said the wily Tredgold, "but I
suppose one gets chances of making money in outside ways sometimes."
The captain assented, and told of a steward of his who had made a small
fortune by selling Japanese curios to people who didn't understand them.
The conversation was interesting, but extremely distasteful to a business
man intent upon business. Mr. Stobell took his pipe out of his mouth and
cleared his throat. "Why, you might build a hospital with it," he burst
out, impatiently.
"Build a hospital!" repeated the astonished captain, as Mr. Chalk bent
suddenly to do up his shoelace.
"Think of the orphans you could be a father to!" added Mr. Stobell,
making the most of an unwonted fit of altruism.
The captain looked inquiringly at Mr.
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