Mr. Trunnell | Page 4

with a flowing
beard and sharp eyes which took in every object in the cabin at a glance.
He came into the forward saloon, and the "doctor" stood up to receive
him. He took no notice of the cook, however, but looked sharply at me.
Then the mate came in with two other men who showed in a hundred
ways that they were captains of sailing ships. The large man addressed
one of these. He was a short, stout man with sandy hair; he wore thin
gold earrings, and his sun-bronzed face showed that he had but recently
come ashore.
"If you don't want to take her out, Cole," said the large man, roughly,
"say so and be done with it. I can get Thompson."
"There's nothing in it without the freight money. Halve it and it's a go."
"Andrews has the whole of it according to contract."
"But he's jugged."
"He'll need it all the more," put in the other captain, who was one of the
agents. "Colonel Fermoy has put the rate as high as he can."
"I'm sorry, colonel," said the stout skipper, turning to the large man.
"Halve or nothing."
"All right, then, nothing. Mr. Trunnell," he continued, turning to the
mate, "Captain Cole will not take you out in the morning as he
promised. I'll send Captain Thompson along this evening, or the first
thing in the morning. I suppose you know him, so it won't be necessary
for me to come down again. Is this your mate?" And he looked at me.
"Yessir, that's him," said Mr. Trunnell.
"Got your papers with you?" asked the colonel.
I pulled them out of my pocket and laid them upon the table. He
glanced at them a moment and then returned them.
"All right; get your dunnage aboard this evening and report at the office
at nine o'clock to-night. Eight pounds, hey?"
I almost gasped. Eight pounds for second mate! Five was the rule.
"Aye, aye, sir," I answered.

"Done. Bear a hand, Mr. Trunnell. Jenkinson will have a crew at five in
the morning. Good night." And he turned and left, followed by all
except the "doctor," who remained with me until they were ashore. Mr.
Trunnell came aboard again in a few minutes, and after thanking him
for getting me the job I left the ship and went to attend to my affairs
before clearing.
I had my "dunnage" sent aboard and then stopped at the office and
signed on. After that, the night being young, I strolled along the more
frequented streets and said farewell to my few acquaintances.
I arrived at the ship before midnight and found the only man there to be
the watchman. Trunnell and the "doctor" had gone uptown, he said, for
a last look around. I turned in at the bottom of an empty berth in one of
the staterooms and waited for the after guard to turn to.
The mate came aboard about three in the morning, and as there was
much to do, he stuck his head into a bucket of water and tried to get
clear of the effects of the bad liquor he had taken. The "doctor"
followed a little later, and fell asleep on the cabin floor.
"Has the old man turned up?" asked the mate, bawling into my resting
place and rousing me.
"Haven't seen any one come aboard," I answered.
"Well, I reckon he'll be alongside in a few minutes; so you better stand
by for a call."
While he spoke, the watchman on deck hailed some one, and a moment
later a steady tramp sounded along the main deck, and a man came
through the port door and into the alleyway.
He hesitated for an instant, while a young man with rosy cheeks and
light curly hair followed through the door and halted alongside the first
comer.
The stranger was tall and slender, with a long face, and high, sharp
features, his nose curving like a parrot's beak over a heavy dark
mustache. His face was pale and his skin had the clear look of a man
who never is exposed to the sun. But his eyes were the objects that
attracted my gaze. They were bright as steel points and looked out from
under heavy, straight brows with a quick, restless motion I had
observed to belong to men used to sudden and desperate resolves. He
advanced into the cabin and scrutinized the surroundings carefully
before speaking.

"I suppose you are Mr. Trunnell," he said to me, for I had now arisen
and stood in the doorway of the stateroom. His voice was low and
distinct, and I noticed it was not unpleasant.
"I have that honor," said the little mate, with drunken gravity, sobering
quickly, however, under the stranger's look.
"There