Page:Henry rideout--The siamese cat.djvu/29

 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