"What for?"

"I ain't got no business here, suh."

"Then what are you here for?"

"Lookin' fer Ole Cap'n, suh."

"Ole Cap'n who?" said Grafton, mimicking.

"Cap'n Crittenden, suh."

"Well, if you are his servant, I suppose they won't throw you overboard.
What's your name?"

"Bob, suh--Bob Crittenden."


"Crittenden," repeated Grafton, smiling. "Oh, yes, I know him; I should
say so! So he's a Captain?"

"Yes, suh," said Bob, not quite sure whether he was lying or not.

Grafton spoke to an officer, and was allowed to take Bob for his own
servant, though the officer said he did not remember any captain of that
name in the --th. To the newspaper man, Bob was a godsend; for humour
was scarce on board, and "jollying" Bob was a welcome diversion. He
learned many things of Crittenden and the Crittendens, and what great
people they had always been and still were; but at a certain point Bob
was evasive or dumb--and the correspondent respected the servant's