The Narrow Corner Read Online Free PDF Page B

an opportunity like that? Not ’alf.”
    “You think too much about your digestion,” said Blake. “That’s my belief. If you just ate what you wanted to and didn’t bother, you’d be all right.”
    “Oh, should I? I suppose you know more about me digestive apparatus than what I do. I suppose you know when a bit of dry toast sits on me stomach like a ton of lead. I suppose you’ll say it’s all fancy next.”
    “Well, if you ask me, I think fancy’s got a damned sight more to do with it than you think.”
    “You son of a bitch.”
    “Who are you calling a son of a bitch?”
    “I’m calling you a son of a bitch.”
    “Oh, shut up,” said the doctor.
    Captain Nichols gave a loud belch.
    “Now the bastard’s brought it on again. It’s three months if it’s a day that I was able to sit down after supper and feel comfortable, and now he’s brought it on again. An upset like this is the death of me. Flies to me stomach at once. I’m a bundle of nerves. Always ’ave been. I thought I was goin’ to ’ave a pleasant evenin’ for once, and now he’s gone and ruined it. I’ve got dyspepsia somethin’ cruel.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that,” said the doctor.
    “They all say the same thing; they all say: ‘Captain, you’re a bundle of nerves. Delicate? You’re more delicate than a child.’ ”
    Dr. Saunders was gravely sympathetic.
    “It’s as I suspected, you want watching; your stomach wants educating. If I’d been coming with you on the lugger I should have made it my business to teach your digestive juices to function in a proper manner. I don’t say I could have effected a cure in six or seven days, but I could have put you on the way.”
    “But who says you’re not comin’ on the lugger?”
    “Blake does and from what I gather he’s the boss.”
    “Oh, do you? Well, you’re mistaken. I’m skipper, and what I say goes. Get your kit packed and come on board to-morrow mornin’. I’ll sign you on as a member of the crew.”
    “You’ll do nothing of the sort,” said Blake, jumping to his feet. “I’ve got as much say as you have, and I say he’s not coming. I won’t have anyone on the lugger, and that’s that.”
    “Oh, won’t you? And what’ll you say if I run her straight up to B.N.B.? British territory, young feller-me-lad.”
    “You take care an accident doesn’t happen to you.”
    “D’you think I’m scared of you? D’you think I’ve knocked about all over the world since before you was born without knowin’ ’ow to take care of meself? Stick a knife in me back, would you? And who’s goin’ to sail the boat? You and them four black niggers? You make me laugh. Why, you don’t know one end of the boat from the other.”
    Blake clenched his hands again. The two men glared at one another, but in the captain’s eyes was a mocking sneer. He knew that when it came to a show-down he held the cards. A little sigh escaped the other.
    “Where d’you want to go?” he asked the doctor.
    “Any Dutch island where I can get a ship that’ll take me on my way.”
    “All right, come on, then. Anyway, it’ll be better than being cooped up alone with that all the time.”
    He gave the skipper a glance of impotent hatred. Captain Nichols laughed good-naturedly.
    “That’s true, it’ll be company for you, me boy.We’re getting off about ten to-morrow. That suit you?”
    “Suit me A1,” said the doctor.
viii
    H IS guests left early and Dr. Saunders, taking his book, lay down in a long, rattan chair. He glanced at his watch. It was a little after nine. It was his habit to smoke half a dozen pipes of an evening. He liked to begin at ten. He waited for this moment, not with malaise, but with a little tremor of anticipation which was pleasant, and he would not cut this short by advancing the hour of his indulgence.
    He called Ah Kay and told him that they were sailing in the morning on the strangers’ lugger. The boy nodded. He, too, was glad to get away. Dr. Saunders had