Valentine Williams

“ I can reconstruct the scene now—the prelude to so many strange adventures!—as the three of us poured over the chart, the long, low chart-house with its clean smell of paint, the holland sun-blinds rattling smartly in the breeze which blew in through the open port holes, Garth in his loose tussore suit, with his eager face and keen eyes, a fragrant cigar thrust into his mouth, Lawless, rather awed by the other and consequently a trifle formal, stubbing the chart with a huge and podgy thumb. ”

“ Garth turned to me.
“I don't want to leave Captain Lawless out,” he said, “but I can't help feeling he's right about the crew!”
“And about everybody else on board, Sir Alexander!” Lawless broke in.
“You mean the ladies?”
“I mean everybody else on board, just as I said, sir!” reiterated the skipper very firmly and with meaning. “What's everybody's secret is nobody's secret! Mum's the word or you'll have trouble! Mum's the word, I say!”
“Well!” said Garth, “so be it! Mum's the word!” ”

“ So, sitting between the two on the softly padded seat, I unfolded my plan while the yacht gently swayed at her moorings and the awnings without cracked like a whip in the breeze.
When I had finished, Garth said:
“You'll agree, I'm sure, that we can spare a week!”
“I'm entirely in your hands, Sir Alexander!” returned the Captain. “But there is one condition I should like to make and that is that this matter remains strictly between us three. I have a very decent lot of men as crew, Sir Alexander, hard working, reliable chaps, and every one personally known to me for years. ”