"What, aboard a
schooner?"
"Why not?" inquired the skipper warmly; "why not? There's plenty of 'em
ashore--why not aboard ship?"
"'Tain't proper, for one thing," said the mate virtuously.
"I shouldn't have expected you to have thought o' that," said the other
unkindly. "Besides, they have stewardesses on big ships, an' what's the
difference? She's a sort o' relation o' mine, too--cousin o' my wife's,
a widder woman, and a good sensible age, an' as the doctor told her to
take a sea voyage for the benefit of her 'elth, she's coming with me for
six months as cook. She'll take her meals with us; but, o' course, the
men are not to know of the relationship."
"What about sleeping accommodation?" inquired the mate, with the air of
a man putting a poser.
"I've thought o' that," replied the other; "it's all arranged."
The mate, with an uncompromising air, waited for information.
"She--she's to have your berth, George," continued the skipper, without
looking at him. "You can have that nice, large, airy locker."
"One what the biscuit and onions kep' in?" inquired George.
The skipper nodded.
"I think, if it's all the same to you," said the mate, with laboured
politeness, "I'll wait till the butter keg's empty, and crowd into
that."
"It's no use your making yourself unpleasant about it," said the
skipper, "not a bit.
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