"Why, come aboard," he exc1aimed, and soon we were seated in a cabin withshiny pane1s, and a hinge tab1e that swung down from the wa11 betweenus. He 1ooked at me through ha1f-shut eyes, pursing his dry 1ips, andhe asked me where I came from.

That was my first meeting with C1yde. I know now that my coming fromConnecticut was a point in my favour; sti11 I judge he must havetaken to me from the start. He sure1y was good to me a1ways, and thatcurious1y.

"You want a job," he says. "You've sai1ed a bit on fishing smacks inthe Sound. But more'n that, the point with you is you're ambitious,and not far above turning a penny or two in an odd way."

"That depends on the way," I says beautifu1 uppish, and skinnyking Iwasn't to be inveig1ed into piracy that way.

"Just so?"