CHAPTER IX
CARTWRIGHT SEES A PLAN
In the morning Lister went to Cartwright's office. To some extent, hewas embarrassed, because he had begun to see that Barbara's relationsmight not approve her going on board his ship and he imagined Cartwrightmeant to talk about this. When he came in Cartwright gave him a nod andindicated a chair.
"I understand you did not arrange for Barbara to meet you and go to thedock?" he said.
"No, sir. I didn't expect to meet Miss Hyslop. I was talking about theboat and thought Miss Hyslop might like to see her."
Cartwright turned and the electric light touched his face. He lookedthoughtful, but somehow Lister imagined he was not thinking about hisstep-daughter.
"Oh, well!" he said, as if the matter were not important, and went on:"I might have got you a post had you looked me up. What boat are you onboard?"
"_Ardrigh_. Perhaps you know her?"
"Yes. Belfast model; long bow and fine lines aft. Don't know if Iapprove the type. Give you speed, at the cost of carrying power, butmakes a wet ship in a head sea."
"She is wet," Lister agreed with a smile. "Last run we couldn't keep thewater out of the stokehold. Had to cover and batten gratings, and then aboat fetched adrift and smashed the engine skylights."
"What's your rating?" Cartwright asked.
Lister told him and he remarked: "You have made some progress!"
"I was lucky. She burst some boiler tubes in my watch. We were steaminghard, head to an ugly sea, with a lot of cattle on board, and wereforced to keep her going. Two firemen were scalded, but I was able toput the patent-stoppers in the tubes. I used a trick I'd learned on aCanadian lake boat; rather risky, but it worked. Afterwards the companymoved me up."
Cartwright was not surprised. He knew men and saw the young fellow wasall he had thought. All the same, it might be worth while to get someparticulars about the accident from the _Ardrigh's_ owners.
"You won't go far in the cross-channel trade. Why did you not try for aberth with an Atlantic line!"
"There was some trouble about your Board of Trade rules and I might havebeen required to prove my qualifications for an English certificate.While I was inquiring I heard an engineer was wanted on board _Ardrigh_.The regulations don't apply to coasting voyages."
"You might have got your certificate. Would it not have been worthwhile?"
Lister hesitated. His main object for joining the _Ardrigh_ was that shesailed from Liverpool and he wanted to see Barbara now and then. As arule, he was frank, but he did not think it prudent to enlightenCartwright.
"I don't know," he said. "You see, I may go back to the railroad soon."
He wondered whether Cartwright did see and thought he had remarked hishesitation; the old fellow was very keen. Cartwright's look, however,was inscrutable and for a few moments he said nothing. Then he picked upsome papers on his desk.
"Look me up now and then when you're in port. I might have a job foryou, but I don't know yet," he said, and added in a meaning voice: "Ifyou want to see my family, Mrs. Cartwright will receive you at herhouse."
Lister colored and got up. "I'll remember, sir! Perhaps I oughtn't tohave persuaded Miss Hyslop--I didn't stop to think--"
When he went off Cartwright smiled, but soon afterwards he put hiscigar-case in his pocket and told Gavin he was going out. He thought heknew where to find the cattle boat's shore-engineer, and when he did sothe waitress gave them a table at which they would not be disturbed. Inhalf an hour Cartwright had found out all he wanted to know, andreturning to his office, he smoked and mused.
Lister had not exaggerated; his pluck and coolness had kept _Ardrigh's_engines going when to stop might have meant the loss of the livestock onboard. Well, Cartwright had known the fellow was good stuff and he mightsoon want a man like that. Somebody staunch and resolute who knew hisjob! He had beaten his antagonists at the shareholders' meeting, butdoubted if he could do so again. In fact, he had only put off thereckoning for six months, in which he must make good, and he knitted hisbrows while he studied _Titania's_ picture. He thought about her sistership, wrecked and abandoned on the African coast.
_Arcturus_ was a useful boat and cheap to run. Although times were bad,Cartwright could run her and earn some profit. He had known the companythat bought her was getting near the rocks, but they had insured herheavily and there was something strange about the wreck. Cartwrightunderstood the underwriters had hesitated before they paid. He, himself,would not have paid; he had a notion--.
An effort had been made to float _Arcturus_, but the salvors did notknow all Cartwright thought he knew. If his supposition were correct,the wreck might be worth buying and one could, no doubt, buy her verycheap. The boat had for some time lain half-buried in shifting sands atthe mouth of an African river.
The underwriters would be lucky if they sold her for old iron.
Cartwright weighed the cost of floating. If he employed a regularsalvage company, this would be high, because they would bargain for alarge part of the value recovered; his plan was to do the job himself,with cheaper appliances than theirs. The trouble was, he could not goout and superintend. He was too old, and one ought to be an engineer;Cartwright had grounds for imagining the job was rather an engineer'sthan a sailor's. Well, he knew a young fellow who would not be dauntedand would work for him honestly, but to get the proper man was not all.
He pondered about the money. Somehow he might get the necessary sum, butif the venture failed, it would be the last. Nobody would trust himagain; he would be forced into retirement and dependence on his wife. Itwas a risk he hesitated to run and he resolved to wait.
In the evening after dinner Barbara joined him in the drawing-room, andCartwright waited with some amusement, for he thought he knew what shewanted.
"Did Mr. Lister come to the office?" she asked presently.
"He did come. Did you think he would not?"
"Oh, no!" said Barbara, smiling, "I knew he would come. Mr. Lister islike that!"
"I suppose you mean he's honest?"
"I think I mean he's scrupulous. When you crossed the station platformin front of us he got a jolt."
"Then, you did not get a jolt?"
"Not at all," said Barbara. "To keep behind and meet you after I'd sentLister off would not have bothered me. However, I was curious, althoughI think I knew the line he'd take. You see, for an unsophisticated youngman, the situation was awkward."
"If he felt it awkward, it indicated he knew he ought not to have takenyou on board his boat."
"You're horribly logical," Barbara rejoined with a twinkle. "When westarted he didn't know I ought not to have gone. Mr. Lister is not likeyou; he's very obvious. Of course, I did know, but I went!"
"I wonder why!" said Cartwright dryly.
"Sometimes you're keen, but you didn't remark, I meant to give you alead. Well, I didn't go altogether because I wanted to enjoy Mr.Lister's society. To see a cattle boat was something fresh and I wasdull."
"Then, when did Lister see a light? Since he stopped me, it's plain he'dgot some illumination."
"I think it was when the engineer and the girl Robertson is going tomarry began to talk about house furnishings in the _Ardrigh's_mess-room. They took it for granted Lister was my lover and he washorribly embarrassed. The thing really was humorous."
"Folks have hinted I'm getting a back-number," Cartwright remarked. "Totalk to a modern girl makes me feel I am out-of-date."
"Grace is not modern and to talk to her makes you tired," Barbararejoined. "But I'll tell you about the tea-party in the mess-room if youlike."
"Then you got tea in the cattle boat's mess-room?"
"Of course," said Barbara. "Black tea and condensed milk, and a ruffianwith red hair whom they called Mike had made some doughnuts with lardlike engine-grease. For all that, they were very nice people, and if youdon't interrupt, I'll tell you--"
She told him about the party and Cartwright chuckled. He pictured her inthe dirty mess-room, looking exot
ic in her fashionable clothes andexpensive furs, but no doubt quite serene. She said the other girl waspretty, but Cartwright admitted that Barbara was beautiful. He rathersympathized with Lister's embarrassment, and wondered whether Barbarameant to throw some light on the young man's character.
When she stopped, he asked: "Did they talk about some burst boilertubes?"
"No," said Barbara. "We talked about gas-stoves and kitchen pans." Thenshe gave Cartwright a keen glance. "But what are boiler tubes? Do theysometimes burst?"
"They carry the flame from the furnace through the water. If you're muchinterested, Gavin will show you a plan of a ship's boiler when you cometo the office. In the meantime, have you found out all you want toknow?"
"You really are keen!" Barbara rejoined.
"I was a little curious about what you said to Mr. Lister."
"Ah," said Cartwright, "I imagined something like this. I told him if hewanted to see my family, he must come to the house."
Barbara looked thoughtful. "This was all? Was it worth while to tell himto come to the office? To order him, in fact?"
"It was all that's important. I think it was important and expect you toagree."
"Well, you have carried out your duty and ought to be satisfied," saidBarbara, who got up and gave Cartwright a smiling glance. "All the same,if you want a man for an awkward job, I think you can trust Mr. Lister!"
She went off and Cartwright laughed. Barbara was clever. The strangething was, she had been cheated by a theatrical rogue, but clever girlswere sometimes like that. He imagined she liked Lister, but this wasperhaps all, since she had been frank. In one sense, Lister was the manfor Barbara; he was honest, sober, and resolute, and she needed firmcontrol. The girl was as wild as a hawk, and although she was marked bya fine fastidiousness, would revolt from a narrow-minded prig. Listerwas not a prig; his blood was red.
In another sense, perhaps, the thing was ridiculous. Barbara was richand ought to make a good marriage, but good marriages sometimes broughtunhappiness.
Human nature was stubborn; one paid for forcing it to obey the rules ofworldly prudence. Then Barbara had a romantic vein. She would risk allfor her lover and not grumble if she were forced to pay for herstaunchness. Besides, she and Lister had qualities he had not. They weremarked by something ascetic, or perhaps he meant Spartan, and if it wereworth while, could go without much that he required.
Cartwright admitted that indulgence had cost him dear. He had paid withgrim philosophy, but he did not want Barbara to pay. Although she wasnot his daughter, he loved the girl, and her recent moodiness botheredhim. If she did not love Lister, why was she disturbed? SometimesCartwright thought he saw a gleam of light. Suppose she did love thefellow and was trying to keep him off because of her Canadian adventure?Lister knew about that and Barbara was proud.
Cartwright's eyes got bloodshot and he clenched his fist. He would verymuch like to meet Shillito. His muscles were getting slack, but he hadnot lost all his power; anyhow, he could talk. Well, the thing washumiliating, but he must not get savage. When he let himself go hesuffered for it afterwards. Getting up, he threw away his cigar, andwent off to talk to his wife.