TWO SEA INCIDENTS 



arranging their deck-chairs, and getting out their 

 books. I had a peg of whisky with the captain and 

 asked him who was on board. 



" Absolutely no one I know," he said. " I don't think 

 one of them has travelled with me since I have been on 

 the coast, and, as you know, I have been up and down 

 with the two companies for nearly twenty-five years. 

 Just have a look," he added confidentially ; " if you 

 know anyone, when we get to Maryborough this evening 

 we might have a rubber of whist." I must explain that 

 we were due to arrive at this port about seven o'clock 

 in the evening, and tie up until about eleven o'clock 

 next day, so as to take off a few tons of cargo and take 

 on board some odd boxes of fruit, etc. I went for'ard 

 and had a good look at the steerage passengers, giving 

 a Manilla each to a few Chinamen. Walking aft again, 

 I saw a man coming up the companion-way whom I 

 had seen about in the town we had just left ; he had 

 been there a few days on business, and was the man 

 who had lost over nine hundred pounds. I knew that 

 he had taken his losses very much to heart. Whether 

 the game had been on the level it is not necessary to 

 consider, but the fact is that he had weighed out 

 six hundred pounds ready, and was owing another 

 three hundred, and I was quite sure that those who 

 had won it would see that he paid it if ingenuity went 

 for anything. I had never spoken to him before, but 

 two men soon fraternise at sea, even though they may 

 be total strangers. " Nice morning," I said to him. 

 " We shall have a lovely passage as far as Mary- 

 borough at all events." "Is it a nice morning ? " 

 he said. " I haven't seen it." 



He was not surly, but had a vacant look in his face 

 which would have caused one to think that he was 

 doped ; in fact, I came to the conclusion that he had 



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