West Wind Drift | Page 5

than he really was because of the more or less deceiving erectness
with which he carried himself. As a matter of fact, he was not more
than five feet ten or ten and a half.
Captain Trigger eyed him narrowly for a moment.
"What is your name?"

"A. A. Percival, sir."
"Your full name, young man. No initials."
The stowaway seemed to add an inch to his height before replying.
"Algernon Adonis Percival, sir," he said, a very clear note of defiance
in his voice.
The Captain looked at the First Officer, and the First Officer, after a
brief stare at the speaker, looked at the Captain.
"It's his right name, you can bet, sir," said Mr. Mott, with conviction.
"Nobody would voluntarily give himself a name like that."
"You never can tell about these Americans, Mr. Mott," said the Captain
warily. "They've got what they call a keen sense of humour, you
know."
Mr. Percival smiled. His teeth were very white and even.
"I am a first and only child," he explained. "That ought to account for it,
sir," he went on, a trifle defensively.
Captain Trigger did not smile. Mr. Mott, however, looked distinctly
sympathetic.
"You say you are an American,--a citizen of the United States?"
demanded the former.
"Yes, sir. My home is in Baltimore."
"Baltimore?" repeated Mr. Mott quickly. "That's where Mr. Gray hails
from, sir," he added, as a sort of apology to the Captain for the
exclamation.
The Captain's gaze settled on the stowaway's spotless white shirt and
collar. Then he nodded his head slowly.

"Mr. Gray is the Chief Engineer," he explained, with mock courtesy.
"Yes, sir,--I know," responded Percival. "He comes of one of the oldest
and most highly connected families in Baltimore. He informs me that
his father--"
"Never mind!" snapped the Captain. "We need not discuss Mr. Gray's
antecedents. How old are you?"
"Thirty last Friday, sir."
"Married?"
"No, sir."
"Parents living?"
"No, sir."
"And now, what the devil do you mean by sneaking aboard this ship
and hiding yourself in the--by the way, Mr. Mott, where was he
hiding?"
Mr. Mott: "It doesn't seem to be quite clear as yet, sir."
Captain Trigger: "What's that?"
Mr. Mott: "I say, it isn't quite clear. We have only his word for it. You
see, he wasn't discovered until he accosted Mr. Shannon on the bridge
and asked--"
Captain Trigger: "On the bridge, Mr. Mott?"
Mr. Mott: "That is to say, sir, Mr. Shannon was on the bridge and he
was below on the promenade deck. He asked Mr. Shannon if he was the
Captain of the boat."
Captain Trigger: "He did, eh? Well?"

Mr, Mott: "He was informed that you were at breakfast, sir,--no one
suspecting him of being a stowaway, of course,--and then, it appears,
he started out to look for you. That's how he fell in with the Chief
Engineer. Mr. Gray informs me that he applied for work, admitting that
he was aboard without leave, or passage, or funds, or anything else, it
would seem. But, as for where he lay in hiding, there hasn't been
anything definite arrived at as yet, sir. He seems to have been hiding in
a rather wide-spread sort of way."
Mr. Percival, amiably: "Permit me to explain, Captain Trigger. You see,
I have been obliged to change staterooms three times. Naturally, that
might be expected to create some little confusion in my mind. I began
in the second cabin. Much to my surprise and chagrin I found, too late,
that the stateroom I had chosen,--at random, I may say,--was merely in
the state of being prepared for a lady and gentleman who had asked to
be transferred from a less desirable one. I had some difficulty in getting
out of it without attracting attention. I don't know what I should have
done if the steward hadn't informed them that he could not move their
steamer-trunk until morning. There wouldn't have been room for both
of us under the berth, sir. If the gentleman had been alone I shouldn't
have minded in the least remaining, under his berth, but he--"
Captain Trigger: "How did you happen to get into that room, young
man? The doors are never unlocked when the rooms are unoccupied."
Mr. Percival: "You are mistaken, sir. I found at least three stateroom
doors unlocked that night, and my search was by no means extensive."
Captain Trigger: "This is most extraordinary, Mr. Mott,--if true."
Mr. Mott: "It shall be looked into, sir."
Captain Trigger: "Go on, young man."
Mr. Percival: "I tried another room in the second cabin, but had to
abandon it also. It had no regular occupant,--it was Number 221
remember,--but along about midnight two men opened the door with a
key and came in. They were stewards. I gathered that they