"I was just on the point of giving him some angry answer or other, and perhaps spoiling all, when I felt a tap on my shoulder, and on turning round saw the Indian judge, who had found me in the way either of his passage or his prospect, on stepping out of the starboard door. 'Eh!' said he, jocularly, as I begged his pardon, 'eh, young sir--I've nothing to do with pardons--always leave that to the governor-general and councillors! Been doing anything wrong, then? Ah, what's this--still calm, or some of your wind again, Mr Officer?' 'A fine breeze like to hold, Sir Charles,' answered the mate, all bows and politeness. 'So!' said Sir Charles; 'but I don't see Captain Williamson at all this morning--where is he?' 'I am sorry to say he is very unwell, Sir Charles,' said Finch. 'Indeed!' exclaimed the judge, with whom the captain stood for all the seamanship aboard, and looking round again rather dissatisfied. 'Don't like that, though. I hope he won't be long unable to attend to things, sir--let me know as soon as he is recovered, if you please.' 'Certainly, Sir Charles,' said the chief officer, touching his cap with some appearance of pique; 'but I hope, sir, I understand my duties in command, Sir Charles.' 'Daresay, sir,' said the judge, '_as_ officer, probably. Commander absent--horrible accidents already,' he muttered, crossly, changing his usual high sharp key to a harsh croak, like a saw going through a heavy spar, 'something sure to go wrong--wish we'd done with this deuced tiresome voyage. Ha, young gentleman,' exclaimed he, turning as he went in, 'd'ye play chess--suppose not--eh?' 'Why yes, sir,' said I, 'I do.' 'Well,' continued he, overhauling me more carefully than he had done before, though latterly I had begun to be somewhat in his good graces when we met by chance, 'after all, you've a _chess_ eye, if you know the game at all. Come in, then, for God's sake, and let's begin. Ever since the poor brigadier _went_, I've had only myself or a girl to play against. 'Gad, sir, there is something, I can't express how horrible to my mind, in being matched against _nobody_--or, what's worse, against a _woman_! But recollect, young gentleman, I can not bear a tyro'; and he glanced at me as we walked into the large poop-cabin as sharply and as cold as a nor'-wester, ere it breaks to windward.