what is it?" he asked of a marine who appeared in his doorway.

"The master of the ship begs to see you, sir," was the reply.

A moment afterwards Greenock entered. He asked Dyck several questions
concerning the possible fighting, the disposition of ammunition and all
that, and said at last:

"I think we shall be of use, sir. The ship's all right now."

"As right as anything human can be. I've got faith in my star, master."

A light came into the other man's dour face. "I wish you'd get into
uniform, sir."

"Uniform? No, Greenock! No, I use the borrowed power, but not the
borrowed clothes. I'm a common sailor, and I wear the common sailor's
clothes. You've earned your uniform, and it suits you. Stick to it; and
when I've earned a captain's uniform I'll wear it. I owe you the success
of this voyage so far, and my heart is full of it, up to the brim. Hark,
what's that?"

"By God, it's guns, sir! There's fighting on!"

"Fighting!"

Dyck stood for a minute with head thrust forward, eyes fixed upon the
distant mists ahead. The rumble of the guns came faintly through the
air. An exultant look came into his face.