Page:Waylaid by Wireless - Balmer - 1909.djvu/257

Rh at Polporru,' he said regretfully, 'but actually, you know, my sleeve and shirt buttons have quite entirely vanished.'

"After such preparation as that, I had to laugh a little.

That all?' I asked.

Oh, I fancy my watch and some forty odd pounds or so have rather been taken too,' he said cheerfully, as if he had, as I said, conceded those some time before, 'but, you know, one has no great need of a watch aboard ship, and one can cash credit for any necessary funds. But, really, you know,' he rebuked me mildly as I would any one who, meaning well enough, had just gone a little too far, 'one can't quite manage it well without sleeve buttons, can one, what? Unless,' he picked up a gleam of hope at last, 'do you fancy the barber might carry them?'

I certainly hope so,' I said earnestly, but probably without the right amount of vital concern, as I felt for my own things.

Hello,' I said. 'Mine are gone, too!'

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