kept an eye open for these last: the rest they tolerated until the
moment came for warping out, when the custom was to pipe all hands
and clear the ship of intruders by a general rush.

The first two days Mr. Annesley spent upon the poop, watching the mob
with a certain scornful interest. On the third he did not appear,
but was served with _tiffin_ in his cabin. At about six o'clock, the
second mate--a Mr. Orchard--sought the captain to report that all
was ready and waiting the word to cast off. His way led past
Mr. Annesley's cabin, and there he came upon an old mendicant
stooping over the door handle and making as if to enter and beg; whom
he clouted across the shoulders and cuffed up the companion-ladder.
Mr. Orchard afterwards remembered to have seen this same beggar man,
or the image of him, off and on during the two previous days, seated
asquat against a post on the Bund, and watching the _Albemarle_,
with his crutch and bowl beside him.

When the rush came, this old man, bent and blear-eyed, was swept
along the gangway like a chip on the tide. In pure lightness of
heart a sailor, posted at the head of the plank, expedited him with a
kick. "That'll do for good-bye to India," said he, grinning.

The old man showed no resentment, but was borne along bewildered,
gripping his bowl to his breast. On the quay's edge he seemed to
find his feet, and shuffled off towards the town, without once
looking back at the ship.



CHAPTER I.