well-cut clothes and lean, handsome face, carried always with him some
nameless, unanalysable air of the man who has played the explorer, who
has peered into strange places, who has handled the reins which guide
the white horse of life as well as the black horse of death.

"I am quite sure," he said, in a tone of kindly approval, "that I
shall find you a most interesting companion on this trip. You and I
must have a little further conversation together. I have won a
considerable sum of money, I may say, by my--er--exploit, and I have
invited some of these newspaper fellows to take a drink with me before
luncheon in the smoking room. I hope you will join us?"

"I shall be delighted," Jocelyn accepted. "A drink with a friend, and
a little mutual toast, is always a pleasure."

Crawshay paused. They were standing outside the entrance to the
captain's cabin.

"I quite agree with you," he said. "Exercise your ingenuity, Mr.
Jocelyn Thew, and think out a toast that we can both drink sincerely.
You will excuse me? I am going in to talk to the captain for a few
minutes. There are a few matters concerning my personal comfort which
need his attention. I find the purser," he added, dropping his voice,
"an excellent fellow, no doubt, but just a trifle unsympathetic, eh?"

"I have no doubt you are right," Jocelyn agreed. "We will meet again,
then, just before one o'clock."