TIME AND CHANCE
The captain grunted. He was a clean elderly Englishman, with cheeks ruddy from whisky and tropic weather, but fine grey eyes full of honesty. All through dinner he watched the lower end of the table; at last he beckoned to an alert, little, withered Chinaman in a pale blue robe.
"Ah Fook," said the captain, rather loudly, "how fashion this coffee b'long no good? Make him more better, chop-chop!"
"Can do," said the steward, blinking gravely.
"Man-man," the captain went on, in a lowered voice, barely audible to Scarlett. "You see gentleman down next Number One officer? He eat his chow bottom-side Number Two table breakfast. B'long so. You catchee cards. You savee?"
"Can do," repeated the Celestial.
"Impudent bounder," the captain grumbled; and then, changing the subject, he re-
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