"Trade ain't what it used to be; ships are more than half
their time looking for freights. And even when they get them they're
hardly worth having."
Mr. Chalk started and, leaning over, whispered to Mr. Tredgold.
"No harm in it," said the latter. "Better leave it to me. Shipping's
dull, then?" he inquired, turning to Captain Brisket.
"Dull?" was the reply. "Dull ain't no name for it."
Mr. Tredgold played with a salt-spoon and frowned thoughtfully.
"We've been looking round for a ship this morning," he said, slowly.
"As passengers?" inquired the captain, staring.
"As owners," put in Mr. Chalk.
Captain Brisket, greatly interested, drew first his glass and then his
chair a yard nearer. "Do you mean that you want to buy one?" he
inquired.
"Well, we might if we could get one cheap," admitted Tredgold,
cautiously. "We had some sort of an idea of a cruise to the South
Pacific; pleasure, with perhaps a little trading mixed up with it. I
suppose some of these old schooners can be picked up for the price of an
old song?"
The captain, grating his chair along the floor, came nearer still; so
near that Mr. Stobell instinctively put out his right elbow.
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