Fast eBooks

Tickell, a
midshipman, and sent him down to the lady's cabin. Mr. Tickell soon came
back reddish, but grinning, to say that nothing less than the captain
would do.
Dodd sighed, and dismissed Monk with a promise to inspect the gun-deck
himself; then went down to Mrs. Beresford and found her indignant. Why
had he stopped the ship miles and miles from Macao, and given her the
trouble and annoyance of a voyage in that nasty little boat? Dodd opened
his great brown eyes, "Why, madam, it is shoal water off Macao; we dare
not come in."
"No evasion, sir. What have I to do with your shoal water? It was
laziness, and want of consideration for a lady who has rented half your
ship."
"Nothing of the kind, madam, I assure you."
"Are you the person they call Gentleman Dodd?"
"Yes."
"Then don't contradict a lady, or I shall take the liberty to dispute
your title."
Dodd took no notice of this, and with a patience few nautical commanders
would have shown, endeavoured to make her see that he was obliged to give
Macao shoals a wide berth, or cast away the ship. She would not see it.


Pages:
241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265