SAILORS' KNOTS

By W.W. Jacobs


1909



THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY


Mr. Letts had left his ship by mutual arrangement, and the whole of the
crew had mustered to see him off and to express their sense of relief at
his departure. After some years spent in long voyages, he had fancied a
trip on a coaster as a change, and, the schooner Curlew having no use for
a ship's carpenter, had shipped as cook. He had done his best, and the
unpleasant epithets that followed him along the quay at Dunchurch as he
followed in the wake of his sea-chest were the result. Master and mate
nodded in grim appreciation of the crew's efforts.

[Illustration: "After some years spent in long voyages"]

He put his chest up at a seamen's lodging-house, and, by no means
perturbed at this sudden change in his fortunes, sat on a seat
overlooking the sea, with a cigarette between his lips, forming plans for
his future. His eyes closed, and he opened them with a start to find
that a middle-aged woman of pleasant but careworn appearance had taken
the other end of the bench.