Captain Nugent and his friend turned to the harbour-master to see how he
would meet this poser.
"They mostly do," he replied, sturdily. "Treat a seaman well, and he'll
treat you well."
This was rank heresy, and moreover seemed to imply something. Captain
Nugent wondered dismally whether life ashore would infect him with the
same opinions.
"What about that man of mine who threw a belaying-pin at me?"
The harbour-master quailed at the challenge. The obvious retort was
offensive.
"I shall carry the mark with me to my grave," added the captain, as a
further inducement to him to reply.
"I hope that you'll carry it a long time," said the harbour-master,
gracefully.
"Here, look here, Hall!" expostulated captain number two, starting up.
"It's all right, Cooper," said Nugent.
"It's all right," said captain number one, and in a rash moment undertook
to explain. In five minutes he had clouded Captain Cooper's intellect
for the afternoon.
He was still busy with his self-imposed task when a diversion was created
by the entrance of a new arrival.
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