Part 30 (1/2)
”Oh, indeed.”
The captain let the implication pa.s.s, perhaps on the consideration that he could afford to ignore it; and said no more. The pause held for several minutes, Kirkwood having fallen into a mood of grave distraction. Finally Captain Stryker thoughtfully measured out a second drink, limited only by the capacity of the tumbler, engulfed it noisily, and got up.
”Guess I'll be turnin' in,” he volunteered affably, yawning and stretching.
”I was about to ask you to do me a service....” began Kirkwood.
”Yes?”--with the rising inflection of mockery.
Kirkwood quietly produced his cigar-case, a gold match-box, gold card-case, and slipped a signet ring from his finger. ”Will you buy these?” he asked.
”Or will you lend me five pounds and hold them as security?”
Stryker examined the collection with exaggerated interest strongly tinctured with mistrust. ”I'll buy 'em,” he offered eventually, looking up.
”That's kind of you--”
”Ow, they ain't much use to me, but Bill Stryker's allus willin' to accommodate a friend.... Four quid, you said?”
”Five....”
”They ain't wuth over four to me.”
”Very well; make it four,” Kirkwood a.s.sented contemptuously.
The captain swept the articles into one capacious fist, pivoted on one heel at the peril of his neck, and lumbered unsteadily off to his room. Pausing at the door he turned back in inquiry.
”I sye, 'ow did you come to get the impression there was a party named Almanack aboard this wessel?”
”Calendar--”
”'Ave it yer own wye,” Stryker conceded gracefully.
”There isn't, is there?”
”You 'eard me.”
”Then,” said Kirkwood sweetly, ”I'm sure you wouldn't be interested.”
The captain pondered this at leisure. ”You seemed pretty keen abaht seein'
'im,” he remarked conclusively.
”I was.”
”Seems to me I did 'ear the nyme sumw'eres afore.” The captain appeared to wrestle with an obdurate memory. ”Ow!” he triumphed. ”I know. 'E was a chap up Manchester wye. Keeper in a loonatic asylum, 'e was. 'That yer party?”
”No,” said Kirkwood wearily.
”I didn't know but mebbe 'twas. Excuse me. 'Thought as 'ow mebbe you'd escyped from 'is tender care, but, findin' the world cold, chynged yer mind and wanted to gow back.”
Without waiting for a reply he lurched into his room and banged the door to. Kirkwood, divided between amus.e.m.e.nt and irritation, heard him stumbling about for some time; and then a hush fell, grateful enough while it lasted; which was not long. For no sooner did the captain sleep than a penetrating snore added itself unto the cacophony of waves and wind and tortured s.h.i.+p.