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Joseph's story； and the brother politely contradicting the sister when it was
Miss Lavinia's story。 Separated one from the other； and thus relieved of
their own habitual interchange of contradiction； neither of them had ever
been known to attempt the relation of the simplest series of events without
breaking down。
〃It was five years before I knew you； Richard；〃 proceeded Sir Joseph。
〃Six years；〃 said Miss Graybrooke。
〃Excuse me； Lavinia。〃
〃No； Joseph； I have it down in my diary。〃
〃Let us waive the point。〃 （Sir Joseph invariably used this formula as a
means of at once conciliating his sister； and getting a fresh start for his
story。） 〃I was cruising off the Mersey in a Liverpool pilot…boat。 I had hired
the boat in company with a friend of mine； formerly notorious in London
society； under the nickname （derived from the peculiar brown color of his
whiskers） of 'Mahogany Dobbs。'〃
〃The color of his liveries； Joseph； not the color of his whiskers。〃
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〃My dear Lavinia； you are thinking of 'Sea…green Shaw；' so called from
the extraordinary liveries he adopted for his servants in the year when he
was sheriff。〃
〃I think not； Joseph。〃
〃I beg your pardon； Lavinia。〃
Richard Turlington's knotty fingers drummed impatiently on the table。
He looked toward Natalie。 She was idly arranging her little morsels of
ham in a pattern on her plate。 Launcelot Linzie； still more idly； was
looking at the pattern。 Seeing what he saw now； Richard solved the
problem which had puzzled him on deck。 It was simply impossible that
Natalie's fancy could be really taken by such an empty…headed fool as
that！
Sir Joseph went on with his story：
〃We were some ten or a dozen miles off the mouth of the Mersey〃
〃Nautical miles； Joseph。〃
〃It doesn't matter； Lavinia。〃
〃Excuse me； brother； the late great and good Doctor Johnson said
accuracy ought always to be studied even in the most trifling things。〃
〃They were common miles； Lavinia。〃
〃Th ey were nautical miles； Joseph。〃
〃Let us waive the point。 Mahogany Dobbs and I happened to be below
in the cabin； occupied〃
Here Sir Joseph paused （with his amiable smile） to consult his memory。
Miss Lavinia waited （with _her_ amiable smile） for the coming
opportunity of setting her brother right。 At the same moment Natalie laid
down her knife and softly touched Launce under the table。 When she thus
claimed his attention the six pieces of ham were arranged as follows in her
plate： Two pieces were placed opposite each other； and four pieces were
ranged perpendicularly under them。 Launce looked； and twice touched
Natalie under the table。 Interpreted by the Code agreed on between the
two； the signal in the plate meant； 〃I must see you in private。〃 And
Launce's double touch answered； 〃After breakfast。〃
Sir Joseph proceeded with his story。 Natalie took up her knife again。
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Miss or Mrs。？
Another signal coming！
〃We were both down in the cabin； occupied in finishing our dinner〃
〃Just sitting down to lunch； Joseph。〃
〃My dear！ I ought to know。〃
〃I only repeat what I heard； brother。 The last time you told the story；
you and your friend were sitting down to lunch。〃
〃We won't particularize； Lavinia。 Suppose we say occupied over a
meal？〃
〃If it is of no more importance than that； Joseph； it would be surely
better to leave it out altogether。〃
〃Let us waive the point。 Well； we were suddenly alarmed by a shout on
deck； 'Man over…board！' We both rushed up the cabin stairs； naturally
under the impression that one of our crew had fallen into the sea： an
impression shared； I ought to add； by the man at the helm； who had given
the alarm。〃
Sir Joseph paused again。 He was approaching one of the great
dramatic points in his story； and was naturally anxious to present it as
impressively as possible。 He considered with himself； with his head a little
on one side。 Miss Lavinia considered with _herself_； with _her_ head a
little on one side。 Natalie laid down her knife again； and again touched
Launce under the table。 This time there were five pieces of ham ranged
longitudinally on the plate； with one piece immediately under them at the
center of the line。 Interpreted by the Code； this signal indicated two
ominous words； 〃Bad news。〃 Launce looked significantly at the owner of
the yacht （meaning of the look； 〃Is he at the bottom of it？〃）。 Natalie
frowned in reply （meaning of the frown； 〃Yes； he is〃）。 Launce looked
down again into the plate。 Natalie instantly pushed all the pieces of ham
together in a little heap （meaning of the heap； 〃No more to say〃）。
〃Well？〃 said Richard Turlington； turning sharply on Sir Joseph。 〃Get
on with your story。 What next？〃
Thus far he had not troubled himself to show even a decent pretense of
interest in his old friend's perpetually…interrupted narrative。 It was only
when Sir Joseph had reached his last sentenceintimating that the man
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overboard might turn out in course of time not to be a man of the pilot…
boat's crewit was only then that Turlington sat up in his chair； and
showed signs of suddenly feeling a strong interest in the progress of the
story。
Sir Joseph went on：
〃As soon as we got on deck； we saw the man in the water； astern。 Our
vessel was hove up in the wind； and the boat was lowered。 The master and
one of the men took the oars。 All told； our crew were seven in number。
Two away in the boat； a third at the helm； and； to my amazement； when I
looked round； the other four behind me making our number complete。 At
the same moment Mahogany Dobbs； who was looking through a telescope；
called out； 'Who the devil can he be？ The man is floating on a hen…coop；
and we have got nothing of the sort on board this pilot…boat。'〃
The one person present who happened to notice Richard Turlington's
face when those words were pronounced was Launcelot Linzie。 Heand
he alonesaw the Levant trader's swarthy complexion fade slowly to a
livid ashen gray； his eyes the while fixing themselves on Sir Joseph
Graybrooke with a furtive glare in them like the glare in the eyes of a wild
beast。 Apparently conscious that Launce was looking at himthough he
never turned his head Launce's wayhe laid his elbow on the table； lifted
his arm； and so rested his face on his hand； while the story went on； as to
screen it effectually from the young surgeon's view。
〃The man was brought on board；〃 proceeded Sir Joseph； 〃sure enough；
with a hen…coopon which he had been found floating。 The poor wretch
was blue with terror and exposure in the water； he fainted when we lifted
him on deck。 When he came to himself he told us a horrible story。 He was
a sick and destitute foreign seaman； and he had hidden himself in the hold
of an English vessel （bound to a port in his native country） which had
sailed from Liverpool that morning。 He had been discovered； and brought
before the captain。 The captain； a monster in human form； if ever there
was one yet〃
Before the next word of the sentence could pass Sir Joseph's lips；
Turlington startled the little party in the cabin by springing suddenly to his
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feet。
〃The breeze！〃 he cried； 〃the breeze at last！〃
As he spoke； he wheeled round to the cabin door so as to turn his back
on his guests； and hailed the deck。
〃Which way is the wind？〃
〃There is not a breath of wind； sir。〃
Not the slightest movement in the vessel had been perceptible in the
cabin； not a sound had been audible indicating the rising of the br