"Tom Wade. I had nothing to do, and was glad to be of a little help.
People who have never been on board ship before naturally feel confused
in such a crowd."

"Have you been to sea?"

"Not on a voyage, but I have lived at Portsmouth and have often been on
board troopships and men-of-war, so it does not seem so strange to me."

"Are you by yourself, or have you friends with you?"

"I am alone," Tom replied. "I am going out to join an uncle in the
States."

"I have been across before," the man said. "I am a carpenter, and have
worked out there six months, and came home six weeks back to fetch the
others over. I have got a place, where I was working before, to go to as
soon as I land. It makes a lot of difference to a man."

"It does indeed," Tom agreed. "I know if I were going out without any
fixed object beyond taking the first work that came to hand, I should
not feel so easy and comfortable about it as I do now."

"I have got two or three of my mates on board who are going out on my
report of the place, and three families from my wife's village. She and
the youngsters have been staying with her old folk while I was away. So
we are a biggish party, and if you want anything done on the voyage you
have only got to say the word to me."