The Mystery Ship (World Classics Unabridged)

CHAPTER I THE TWO SUB-LIEUTENANTS Below there! You in George? Georgeotherwise Kenneth Meredith sub-lieutenant R.N.V.R. and second-in-command of H.M. Motor Launch 1071deliberately blotted five lines of his weekly epistle to the fond ones at home. Unperturbed by a heavy fusillade upon the deckthe sound being caused by a broken golf club vigorously manipulated by an as yet invisible personMeredith dexterously threw into envelopes and blotting-pad into a conveniently placed rack rammed the cork into the glass ink-bottle and thrust his fountain-pen which either founted like a miniature Niagara or else obstinately refused to fount at all into the breast pocket of his monkey-jacket. Interruptions are many and varied on board the M.L.''s. At almost any hour of the day and night when the little craft were lying alongside the parent ship casual visitors were apt to drop in to say nothing of callers on more or less urgent Service matters. An officer is supposed to receive visitors with complete equanimity whether he be in the midst of shaving dressing having a meal or even a bath. Privacy is practically non-existent. Almost the only exception is when the lawful occupant of the cabin is engaged in private correspondence. Hence Meredith''s hurried preliminaries before replying to the noisy summons on deck.