Part 19 (1/2)

”No, sir,” I said.

”You have not spoken to your messmates?”

”No, sir; not a word.”

”But they asked you why I summoned you to my cabin?”

”Yes, sir; but they think it was to snub--reprove me, sir, for making so much of the Chinaman.”

”Oh, I see. But snub would have done, Mr Herrick. Reprove sounds pedantic. That will do, but bear in mind my wishes.”

”Oh, there you are, Mr Herrick,” said the first lieutenant, a few minutes later. ”I want you. Find that Chinaman and the s.h.i.+p's tailor, and bring them both to my cabin.”

”Yes, sir,” I said, wondering; and I hunted them out, told them to follow me, and led the way to Mr Reardon's cabin.

”Shut the door,” he said sharply.

I obeyed, and the lieutenant consulted a sc.r.a.p of paper upon which he had pencilled a few memoranda.

”Now, tailor,” he said, ”you will have an order for a sufficiency of white duck.”

”Yes, sir.”

”And by this time to-morrow I want twenty loose frocks cut and made after the fas.h.i.+on of this man's blue cotton blouse thing.”

”Couldn't be done, sir, in the time,” said the tailor respectfully.

”They must be done, my man. I don't care how roughly they are made, nor how badly sewn, but they must be cut to this pattern. Get as many men as you require to sew, and begin work at once. I'll send this boy to you soon, for you to get the pattern of his garment.”

The tailor saluted, and went off wondering; while I wondered no less, as I stood waiting with Ching for what was to come; but for some moments Mr Reardon sat there studying his notes.

All at once he looked up sharply.

”Now, Ching,” he said, ”can you understand all I say?”

The Chinaman nodded.

”Then look here: I have ordered twenty duck-frocks, as you heard.”

”Yes, sir. Velly like Chinaman.”

”Exactly. Well, these are for twenty of our men to wear. I want them to look like Chinese.”

Ching shook his head.

”Blue flock,” he said; ”all blue, no white.”

”We have no blue, and the white must do.”

”Velly well.”