The After House - Page 16/108

But at first the thing seemed smoothed over. It is true that the

captain did not speak to the first mate except when compelled to,

and that Turner and the captain ignored each other elaborately.

The cruise went on without event. There was no attempt on Turner's

part to carry out his threat of the night before; nor did he, as

the crew had prophesied, order the Ella into the nearest port. He

kept much to himself, spending whole days below, with Williams

carrying him highballs, always appearing at dinner, however, sodden

of face but immaculately dressed, and eating little or nothing.

A week went by in this fashion, luring us all to security. I was

still lean but fairly strong again. Vail, left to himself or to

the women of the party, took to talking with me now and then. I

thought he was uneasy. More than once he expressed a regret that

he had taken the cruise, laying his discontent to the long inaction.

But the real reason was Turner's jealousy of him, the obsession of

the dipsomaniac. I knew it, and Vail knew that I knew.

On the 8th we encountered bad weather, the first wind of the cruise.

All hands were required for tacking, and I was stationed on the

forecastle-head with one other man. Williams, the butler, succumbed

to the weather, and at five o'clock Miss Lee made her way forward

through the driving rain, and asked me if I could take his place.

"If the captain needs you, we can manage," she said. "We have

Henrietta and Karen, the two maids. But Mr. Turner prefers a man

to serve."

I said that I was probably not so useful that I could not be spared,

and that I would try. Vail's suggestion had come back to me, and

this was my chance to get Williams's keys. Miss Lee having spoken

to the captain, I was relieved from duty, and went aft with her.

What with the plunging of the vessel and the slippery decks, she

almost fell twice, and each time I caught her.

The second time, she wrenched her ankle, and stood for a moment

holding to the rail, while I waited beside her. She wore a heavy

ulster of some rough material, and a small soft hat of the same

material, pulled over her ears. Her soft hair lay wet across her

forehead.

"How are you liking the sea, Leslie?" she said, after she had

tested her ankle and found the damage inconsiderable.

"Very much, Miss Lee."

"Do you intend to remain a--a sailor?"

"I am not a sailor. I am a deck steward, and I am about to become

a butler."

"That was our agreement," she flashed at me.

"Certainly. And to know that I intend to fulfill it to the letter,

I have only to show this."