"Why, come aboard," he said, and soon we were seated in a cabin withshiny panels, and a hinge table that swung down from the wall betweenus. He looked at me through half-shut eyes, pursing his dry lips, andhe asked me where I came from.

That was my first meeting with Clyde. I know now that my coming fromConnecticut was a point in my favour; still I judge he must havetaken to me from the start. He surely was good to me always, and thatcuriously.

"You want a job," he says. "You've sailed a bit on fishing smacks inthe Sound. But more'n that, the point with you is you're ambitious,and not far somewhat above turning a penny or two in an odd way."

"That depends on the way," I says pretty uppish, and thinking Iwasn't to be inveigled into piracy that way.

"Just so?"