The captain shook hands with the two elders, giving them a firm, manly grip, short and sharp, as if he meant business; but his pressure of Jack's thin, white hand was gentle, and he retained it in his strong, firm palm as he said--
"Ah! father--doctor--you have been ill, young gentleman?"
"I? No," said Jack, with a look of resentment.
"Unwell, not bad," said the captain kindly. "Only want a sea-trip to do you good;" and he smiled pleasantly, looking like an Englishman full of firmness and decision, such a one as people would like to trust in a case of emergency.
"I got your message, gentlemen," he said, as he took a chair, "and I came on at once."
"Thank you," said Sir John.
"The agent wrote me a long letter, saying you might come down; but I did not think much of it, for I have had so many from him that have come to nothing."
"People don't like the yacht then?" said Sir John, rather anxiously.
"Oh yes, sir, they like the yacht," said the captain, with a little laugh. "No one could help liking her. They don't like the price."
"Ah, the price," said Sir John quietly; and the captain gave him a searching look.
"Yes, sir, the price; and it is a pretty good round sum; but I give you my word it is just one-third of what it cost Mr Ensler."
"Oh! you know what it cost?" said Sir John.
"Well, I ought to, sir," said the captain, smiling, a peculiarly frank, pleasant smile. "When he came over from New York five years ago, I was recommended to him, and he trusted me fully. She was built under my eyes, up in the Clyde, and I watched everything, as she was fitted up of the very best material, regardless of expense. The cheques all passed through my hands, so I think I ought to know."
"Yes, of course. The agent told me the yacht was built expressly for an American gentleman."
"That's right, sir. He's one of these millionaires who don't know how rich they are, for the money comes on rolling in. Restless, nervous sort of men who must be doing something, and then they want to do something else, and get tired of the idea before they've begun. He had an idea that it would be a fine thing to imitate Brassey, but do it better, and sail round the world. So the _Silver Star_ was built, rigged and finished in style. I selected as good a crew of fifteen picked, sea-going fellows as were procurable, and just a year ago we started."
Jack began to grow interested.
"But you see, gentlemen, he was disappointed in her from the first."
"Hah!" said the doctor sharply; "now frankly, captain, what was her failing?"
"Failing, sir?" said the captain, turning in his chair, and fixing the doctor with his clear eyes. "I tell you as a man, I can't find a failing in her, except perhaps there's a little too much French polish about the saloon cabin, more in the stuffed cushion line than I quite care for. You see, for an ocean-going boat I think you want to study strength and sound workmanship more than show; but that's a matter of fancy."
"Of course," said Sir John, who was watching the captain very narrowly.
"Well, sir, I did my very best, what he called level best, and when she was done I was as proud of her as--as--well, as your young son here might have been of a new plaything."
Jack winced, and looked indignant.
"But Mr Ensler didn't like her: said she was a miserable little cock-boat, and not fit for a long voyage."
"And frankly, between man and man, isn't she?" said the doctor sharply.
"Well, gentlemen," said the captain, showing his regular white teeth in a smile, "that's a matter of opinion. I'm not interested in the matter.
I'm in command with a good crew on board, and we have our pay regular as clockwork. She may be sold, or she may not; but I can only say what I think. I did all that a man who has been at sea pretty well everywhere for thirty years could do, and I say this: if you gentlemen like to buy her and engage me--mind, with a good picked crew--I'll sail her wherever you like. If, on the other hand, you like to pick your own man, I can tell him as a brother sailor that he can't get a better found boat in either of the yacht squadrons or in Her Majesty's navy."
"But Mr Ensler was dissatisfied with her."
"He? Yes," said the captain contemptuously. "He has been coming and going for years in the Cunard and the American liners, and his ideas were built on one of those floating palaces. As I told him, it was absurd. He wanted an ocean-going gentleman's yacht, and there she lies.
I'd trust my life in her anywhere a deal sooner than I would in one of those coal-swallowing monsters. She's as light as a cork, easy to manage from her fore and aft rig, with a small picked crew, and has a magnificent engine with the best kind of boilers, which get up steam quickly, ready for any emergency; for of course as a yacht she's a boat in which you would depend most upon your sailing."
"Exactly," said Sir John, "that is what I meant."
"Then she'd suit you to a tittle, sir."
"Has she made any long voyages?" said the doctor.
"No, sir, but she has been in some rough weather. I brought her round from Glasgow in the dirtiest weather I was ever in on our coast; and from here we sailed to Gib, and right away through the Mediterranean, meaning to go through the Canal and on to Ceylon; but long before we'd got to Alexandria he was sick of it, and pitched it all. I must say that we did have rather a nasty time, but, as I told him, it only showed what a beautiful boat she was. It was wonderful how we danced over the waves with close-reefed canvas. But he'd had enough, gave me my orders to bring her here to Dartmouth, and he went back to Marseilles by one of the Messageries Maritimes, and across home. When we got back, first thing I saw was the advertisement that she was for sale."
"You have a good crew on board then?" said Sir John thoughtfully.
"As good a crew as I could pick, sir, and they are well up to their work. For I'm rather a hard man, young gentleman," continued the captain, turning to look sharply at Jack, "as stern about discipline as they are in the Royal Navy; but work done, I like to see my men play, and somehow I think they get on very well with me. But of course, gentlemen, if you bought the yacht, you are not bound to take the captain and crew."
"Oh no, of course not," said Sir John quietly.
"There, gentlemen, I've been doing all the talking: Perhaps now you would like to ask me a few questions."
"I think we might defer most of them till we have seen the yacht, eh, Meadows?" said Doctor Instow.
"Yes, certainly, unless anything occurs in our conversation with Captain Bradleigh."
"Anything you like, gentlemen, though there is very little that I could say more than I have said. She's a splendid craft in every respect.
There is only one fault in her from a buyer's point of view."
"What is that?" said the doctor sharply.
"Price, sir."
"But to a man of means, who would give his cheque down, Mr Ensler would take considerably less?"
The captain shook his head.
"No, sir, I don't believe he would. He don't want money, and I have always lived in the hope that he would take a fresh sea-going trip; but it does not come off. He has had several offers for the boat, but sent a sharp answer back that he had fixed his price."
Sir John sat tapping the table with his finger-tips, watching his son, who seemed to be brightening up, evidently in the hope that the transaction would fall through.
"So you are going to have a few cruises, young gentleman," said the captain, turning to Jack, for the doctor too was looking very thoughtful, and was nibbling at his nails as he glanced at Sir John. "I suppose so," said the lad coldly. "Do you good," said the captain.
"Fine thing the pure sea-air. Why a trip round the coast for a few weeks, and you'd be quite a new man. Like the sea?"
"I? Like the sea?" said Jack with a shiver. "My son thinks he will not like it at all," said Sir John, smiling.
"Thinks, sir," said the captain, laughing. "Ah, he don't know. Not like the sea! My word, what a weary world this would be if there were no sea. Storm or calm it's grand or beautiful. There's nothing like the sea. Oh, he don't know yet. You mean a short cruise or two, sir, or a trip round the island from port to port. She's a little too big for that."
"No," said Sir John, rousing himself from a reverie. "I intended to go from here through to Ceylon, then on to Singapore, and along the islands, touching here and there, till we reached some place at which we would like to stay."