He gave me what simple instruction I
required, and offered to help me in preparing my report for Lloyd's
agent. With this purpose in view I permitted Mr. Drever to take the
log book ashore with him, as well as the little chest that I had
taken from the captain's room on board the Pilgrim.
I was pushing off from the pier, having put the dominie ashore,
when I heard myself called, and there, at the head of the piers
stood my skipper, Davie Flett, newly arrived from Kirkwall. How
thankful I was to see his familiar stumpy figure again I need not
say.
He was coming down towards me when Carver Kinlay accosted him, and
kept him in conversation. But I approached the two men, taking
Flett by the hand.
He gave little notice to me beyond a very ordinary greeting; but I
saw by his eyes that he was glad enough to see me, only that he
probably had some business to talk over with the pilot. I stood by
them, wishing they would be done.
"And how's business in the islands, Davie?" said Kinlay in an
offhand tone.
"Fairly weel! fairly weel!" said the captain. "Nothing to complain
o', ye ken."
"Ay, I see!" said Carver; "no sae weel but ye might do better, eh?
I'm thinkin', Davie, ye need to open up a new line o' business
among the crofters."
"Ah! and what business is that, pilot?" asked Flett.
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